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more RUS 


Historical and Deseriptive,- 


FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO THE PRESENT DAY. 


ADAPTED FROM THE GERMAN OF 


FRANZ VON LOHER 


WITH MUCH ADDITIONAL MATTER BY 


MRS. A. BATSON JOYNER. 





WITH TWO MAPS AND SEVENTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS. 





NEW YORK: 
R. WORTHINGTON, 750 BROADWAY. 
1878. 





INTRODUCTION, 


Tue sudden interest created by recent political 
events in everything relating to Cyprus, an island 
- which, from its geographical position, seems destined 
to play no unimportant part in modern history, has 
rendered the appearance of Herr von Loher’s narra- 
tive of his recent journeyings through the length 
_ and breadth of that country extremely welcome. It 
is therefore with much pleasure we have received 
permission from the Author to lay before the Brit- 
ish public an adaptation of his book (only published 
during the last few days) which seems well suited 
to supply information, such as is at present much 
needed in England. 

The island of Cyprus, from the first dawn of civil. 
ization, has’ been classic ground, extremely interest- 
ing to antiquaries, and its history throughout the 
Middle Ages is largely blended with tales of chiv- 
alry and romantic incidents, such as in these matter- 
of-fact times are scarcely cared for by speculators, 
whose object is to obtain reliable information on 
subjects of more practical importance, such as the 

, v 


vi INTRODUCTION. 

resources of the country, the character of its soil, 
the capabilities of its surface, and the industry of its 
inhabitants. Lessons upon these points are only to 
be learned from a careful survey, such as that ac- 
‘complished by our author, who, uninfiuenced by pre- 
judice, describes in simple narrative the actual con- 
dition of the island, the scenery of the interior, and 
the every-day employments and pursuits of the peo- 
ple, thus removing many erroneous impressions as to 
the condition of the Cypriotes, and leaving the 
reader to form his own opinion as to the status and 
prospects of our new acquisition. All information 
connected with these points we have carefully ren- 
dered, only omitting such matter as appeared irrele- 
vant, and calculated unnecessarily to increase the 
size of the book. Additional information gleaned 
from various sources, relative to the general history 
and statistics of the island, is to be found in the 
Appendix. 

That the climate of Cyprus is delightful, the soil 
prolific, and the landscape in some parts of the coun- 
try of surpassing beauty, we have abundant testi- 
mony in the writings of classic authors, and there is 
no reason to suppose that in these respects its attrac- 
tions have deteriorated. A late writer, J. Jasinides, 
who died at a good old age at Koutzovendi, in Cy- 
prus, in 1871, at the conclusion of his work “ Les 
Iles Mediterranée,” thus expresses himself: “For. 
forty years I have been wandering from isle to isle, 


INTRODUCTION. ~ vii 


ascertaining their political, commercial, and social 
aspect, and this island (Cyprus) notwithstanding the 
barbarism of its present rulers, through which it is 
cut off from the rest of the world, is my favorite. 
.. .. It isa little world in itself; here do I wish 
to die. My limited means will keep me in compara- 
tive luxury. Although old, I am strong and feel 
young, no wild beasts or reptiles disturb my solitude, 
the water is sweet and cool, the wine is nectar, and 
the food plain but good; above all I know that my 
grave will be respected, and that kind hands will 
close my eyes.” 


M. A. J. 


Lonpon, 1878. 


eek 
ets 
a <i S 





Se gee et an ee 





¢ . TS. 


as 


se 


MAP SHOWING THE RELATION OF CYPRUS TO THE ADJACENT COASTS. 





























CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER I. 


LARNAKA, 
PAGE 


First View of Larnaka—Arrival—The Haven—The Town—Catholic 
Church—Fine Carving—Kissing Relics—Marble Sarcophagi—. 
Tombs—Derivation of Name of Larnaka—Pheenicians—Kiti— 
Language—Shallow WHarbor—An Ancient Graveyard—Relics— . 
Nursing Bottles—Schools—Church of St. Lazarus—A Compro- 
mise in Ecclesiastic Architecture—St. Lazarus’s Morning Walk 
—Ride out to Curious Building—Strange Doors—-Phaneromene 
Panagia—Female Superstitions—Salt Lake—Marshes Source of IIl- 
Se ae a ee eee vievtierone wines venveie~ ob 


ATHIENTU. 


Streets of Larnaka—Game Birds—Mountain of Olympus—Negro 
Slaves—Natives of Athienu—Attack on Famagusta—Repulse of 
the Turks—Six Months’ Siege—Honorable Terms—Meeting of 
Rival Generals—Treachery of Mustapha—Butchery cf the Garri- 
son—Bragadino Flayed Alive—Triumphant Return of Mustapha— 
Dinner with an Athenitan—Dali—Two Largest Rivers—Neglected 

_ Land—Character of a Cypriote—Silkworms—Planting of Mulberry 
Trees—Silk Factories—Forests—Carob-tree—Cyprus a Miniature 
India—Fruits—Sugar—Cotton—The Garden of the World—A 
Guard of Honor—First View of the Capital—Lepers—Visit to the 
RRIVNNON ieee ctepeltwscc ss cc Sass ee ccbsae ues Saeed eis ciewrs @ 


CHAPTER III. 
NIKOSIA. 


Morning Impressions—Easter Eve—Gardens of Fruit Trees—Society 
_—Costume of the Ladies—Beauties of Cyprus—Adoption of Turk-— 
A* ix 


x CONTENTS. 


~ 


PAGE 
ish Customs—Language—Cathedral of St. Sophia—Church of St. 
Nicholas—Archbishop’s Chapel—Visit to the Lord Archbishop— 

A Rising Man—Greek Priests—Church of St. Katherine—Memori- 
als of the Dead—St. Paul in Cyprus—-Elymas, the Sorcerer— 
Prisons—Courts of Justice—Wanton Destruction—W ealthy Nobles 
—Enormous Establisaments—Great Riches of Merchants........ 22 


CHAPTER IV. 
CYPRUS IN THE MIDDLE AGES. 


German Kingdom—Richard Coeur de Lion—Cyprus Sold to Lusig- 
nan--Knights Templars—Amalrick—Becomes a Vassal to Henry 
the Sixth, of Germany—From 4.D. 1285 to a.p. 1873—Conquest 
of Smyrna and Alexandria—Commerce—Wealth and Luxury— 
Death of James the Second—Origin of Italian Title of Kings of 
Cyprus and Jerusalem—Turks—Erection of Fortifications—Selim 
the Second—Attack on Limasol—Arsenal at Venice Burnt—Niko- 
sia eS RARE TERS Ee and Captives—Result of 
PRSCWIDERSIG, sca a's odbn ned sSs wisien Some R As ahhh a eck es oo eres . 3B 


CHAPTER V. 
DRAWING UP OF THE STATUTES. 


Social Positions of the Various Classes—Vassalage—Form of Govern- 
ment—Marriage of Lady Vassals—Law Courts—Assizes of Jerusa- 
lem—Custody of the Book of the Law—John d’Ibelin—Knightly 
Law-makers—Philip of Navarre—Grand Statute Book of Cyprus. 44 


CHAPTER VI. 
SAN CHRISOSTOMO., 


Cyprus, European or Asian ?—Bufiavento—Excursion to Inspect Buf- 
favento—Carrying Fire-arms Prohibited—A Quiet Morning Ride 
—An old Turk and his Wives—The Northern Range of Mountains 
—St. Chrisostomo—Monastic Economy—Maria of Molino—Precau- 
tions against Fever—Easter Decorations—A Remedy for Leprosy 
—Fortresses Erected to Command Passes and Roads—Spirit Haun- 
ted—Unger and Kotschy........ Movone men ueedeews ss 04% eeiias ae 


CONTENTS. xi 


CHAPTER VIL. 


BUFFAVENTO. 
PAGE 


Bee-hives—The Queen’s Castle— Paradise—Take a Guide—Gradual 
Ruin—En Avant—The Guides suspect Treasure Hunting—The 
Fortress—Zaptiehs and their Masters—Plucky Guide—The High- 
est Tower—View from the Summit—A German Female Recluse— 
Peculiar People in Carpasia—The Descent—-Fortresses destroyed 
by Venetians—Sale of Crown Lands—Decline of Old Nobility.... 56 


CHAPTER VIII. 


TURKISH GOVERNORS, 


Visit from the Pacha—One Hundred Years Ago—How Governors 
feathered their Nests—Poll-tax—Expostulation—Report to the 
Sultan—Arrival of the Imperial Envoy—Public Reading of the 
Sultan’s Commands—Fall of the Floor of the State Chamber— 
Explanation of the Trap—-The Governor will not be Governed— 
Attacked by the Populace—Death of the Governor--A New 
Governor—Intrigues and another Poll-tax—Popular Refusal— 
Preparations for Rebellion—The Water cut off—The Edict with- 
drawn—Again a Poll-tax—The Nobles head the Insurrection— 
Blockade of Nikosia—Again the Tax withdrawn--Arrival of a 
New Governor—Disappointed Hopes—Proposals—Order again 
restored—The Poll-tax again demanded—General Revolt—Attack 
on Famagusta—Siege of Nikosia—Eastern Wiles—Mediation by 
English Consul—Fighting continued—Arrival of Corsairs—A 
Strong Argument—Arrival of Special Envoy to Compel Order— 
Deserters from the Rebel Camp—Rebels retire to Keryneia—The 
Castle Besieged—-An Open-hearted Turkish Sailor |—Betrayal of 
Halil Aga—Capitulation—Smiles—Treacherous Execution—Two 
Hundred Salted Heads—Order restored..........--s0e00005 coos 65 


CHAPTER IX. 


THE PLAINS OF CYPRUS. 


Expedition to ascend Olympus—No Information to be Obtained— 
Neglected Districts—Game—Prompt Action of my Zaptieh—Faith- 
ful Obedience of Mussulman Servants—Akazi—Easter—Fasting 

_ Extraordinary—Abstinence of the Greeks—Heat................ 80 


xii CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER X. 


EVRYCHU, 


and Interesting Customs—Greek Houses—Our Host and his Family 
—An Easter Dinner—Classic Christian Names—Absence of Large 
Tiees—-Cypriote Clergy.........+++ Aaa tae san ou eens eeu ea . 


CHAPTER XI. 


MOUNT OLYMPUS. 

A Mountain Pass—-Lost our Way—Heroism of the Dragoman !— 
Sight of a Glacier—Absence of Large Timber at Base of Mountain 
—Dragoman again! who Fairly Bolts—Horses and Zaptieh left 
Behind—Heavy Work in the Snow—Scene from the Summit— 
Alone |—No Trace of Ruins......-. .-.. deetns eyetavuantsoeeee 


CHAPTER XII. 
CYPRUS IN ANCIENT TIMES, 


Descent of Olympus—A Retrospect--The Busy Phcenicians—Ship- 


builders for the Euphrates—The Goddess Astarte—The New - 


Religion—Trojan War, the first Struggle between East and West 
—Grecian Warrior Colonists—Evidence of Ancient Inscriptions— 
The Nine Kingdoms of Cyprus—Attacks by Continental Nations— 
Cyprus appealed to for Assistance--The Cyprian Navy—Philip of 
Macedon—Alexander the Great—Cyprian Shipwrights on the 
Indus—<Artisans of Cyprus—-Ptolemies—An Egyptian Ruler— 
Cyprus a Roman Province—Under Roman Dominion—Aphroditissa 
—The Idol Stone—Little Images of the Madonna—Revolution of 


AGE 


P. 
Cool Waters—Evrychu—In Church—Healthy Population—Graceful 


86 


93 


the Jews—Great Slaughter—A Land of Saints.......... awe eu 100 


CHAPTER XIII. 


TROADITISSA. 
Dangerous Ground—Disappointment—Easter-Eve Festivities—An 
Official Menace—Hear of a Gentleman—Demons and Kobolds— 
Fini—Arrival—Stable Accommodation—The Dragoman again— 
Hunger—Cloister Rations—Wine makes the Heart Glad—A 
Village Congregation—After Mass—Hospitality of the Church— 
Beautiful Girls—Doctors Required—Fasting—Precious Relic— 
Russian Gift—The Picture endowed with Healing Powers— 
Gratitude—Mountains and Trees—Heat—Shepherds...... ee 


. 116 


CONTENTS. xiii 
CHAPTER XIV. 


CYPRIAN WOODS AND FORESTS. 
PAGE 
Neglect of Forests--Preservation by former Rulers—Gradual De- 


struction—Shipbuilding—Exportation of Timber—Wanton De- 
struction—Forest Fires—Resin and Pitch —Process of Extracting 
Resin—Suicidal Revenge—Protection Required—British Legis- 
lation—-The late Governor of Cyprus—Sad Prospects for the 
Island—Eucalyptus..... Rin des toe ths Kee SRUNs 2 Cheese cecerccene 126 


CHAPTER XV. © 
PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS. 


Locusts in Olden Times—An Egyptian Plague for Two Years— 
Gradual Increase—Young Locusts—Devastation—Hnergy of Turk- 
ish Pacha—Troops are Called Out—A Remedy is Found—M. Mattei 
—The Locusts effectually Stopped........... toe x aiceaen ae? Sane 


CHAPTER XVI. 


CHRYSOROGIATASSA, 


River of Southern Cyprus—Rippling Waters—View of the Monastery 
of Kikku—A valuable Picture--Panagia—Wild Fruits—The 
Monks Disturbed—Fine Figure of the Saviour—Carvings—Break- 
fast with the Abbot—Deserted State of the Country—Robbers-— 
Alarm of the Servants—Prisons--Execution of Criminals—An 
interesting Prisoner—A Cypriote Robin Hood—Dowries to a 
Thousand Girls—A romantic Thief—Prison Life—Stalwart Monks 
—Turkish Women—Miserable Huts—-Approach to Paphos— 
Ktima—Advent of Venus........ Ee Munde tes SueK eats cova s wane sya 135 


CHAPTER XVII. 


THE TEMPLE OF VENUS. 


Bishop of Baffo—View of the Ruins—Gigantic Stones—Old Temple 
—Curious Holes in Stones, producing Echo—Mosaics—Sacrificial 
Rites—The Idol Stone—Ruins of former City—View from the 
Temple--An Admirer of Sappho—A Turkish Farmer—Queen’s 
Cave—An Inscribed Stone Slab--Rock-cut Tombs—Watch-tower 
—Dinner: Bill of Fare—A Turkish Housewife—Nocturnal Re- 
flections—Worship of Venus—Holy Cloth for the Caaba—The 
Cone-shaped Stones—Doves of Venus—Mcteoric Stones........-. 145 


X1V CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


SUMMER RESIDENCE IN CYPRUS. 
PAGE 


Donkeys and Mules—Muleteers—Starting on a Journey-—-Mounted ! 
—Commissariat of Traveling Cypriote—General Cesnola—Village 
of Dali—Out-door Nights in Summer—aA Delightful Retreat..... 155 


CHAPTER XIX. 
CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE. 


Family Affection—Female Influence—Modern Greeks—Bad Qualities 
—Simony—Flatterers— Luxury —Taking his Ease — Shameful 


CHAPTER XX. 
CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE. 
Syrian Heat—Cool Mountain Breezes—Fevers— Wine, a Remedy for 


Ague—Seasons—Excessive Heat—Hot Winds—Scarcity—Spring 
—September—L’Imbat—Snow. ........ccccceccccccsccvceessees 167 


CHAPTER XXtI. 
BAFFO AND KUKLIA. 


Dealer in Curiosities—Ktima— Rock-cut Tombs—Paleo Castro— 
Graves—Antiquities—Ossuaries—Relics of Funeral Feasts—Ruins 
of a Temple—St. Paul—Koloni— Asbestos—Sacred Garden—Bath 
of Aphrodite — Ieroskipo—Kapath—-Ancient Harbor—Ruins of 
Churches—Buried Treasures—A Cyprian Dinner—-Tombs—Arsince 
—Loadstone Temple—Berenice—Treasures for Naturalists—Tax- 
POURSPOLB os is cance a sees csepad cece vanes bi Sab oeds4 asks ee g AGO 


CHAPTER XXII, 
EPISKOPI. 


Coffee-house — Thistle Seeds — Snake — Game — Adimu — Apollo 
Hylades Guard Houses—Pirates—Lycos—Egyptian Beauties—No 
A COCMIMIOGALIONS © 55 cis + «ve. cumin da wate once aaah ser walle ek eve sabe 186 


CHAPTER XXIII. 
KOLOSSIN. 


A Turkish Farmer—Square Tower—Oxen—Norman Architecture— 
An Old Fortress—Knights Templars—Wine—Beceaficos......... 191 


CONTENTS. XV 


CHAPTER XXIV. 


SOIL AND MINERAL PRODUCTS. 
PAGE 


Mountains— Rich Soil— Alluvial Deposits — Gardens — Copper 
Mines—Gold and Silver—Salt—Volcanic Eruptions—Precious 
Stones—Amber—Asbestos—Robes of the Priests.............4++ 198 


CHAPTER XXVY. 
NATURAL PRODUCTS. 


Under the Lusignans—Wine, Oil, etc.—Carob-tree—Cyprian Dyes 
—-Grasping Policy of Venice—Olive-trees—Government of Cyprus 
—A valuable Farm—Sultan of Egypt—-Tribute—Turks—F lowers 
—Tobacco—-Corn—-Timber—Flowers—Fertility of Soil—Jujube- 

_ tree—Distilled Oils-—-Cotton—Silk—-Game—- Wine — Taxes — De- 
cline of Cultivation—Poor Fare—Potatoes — Spiders —- Beef and 
Ce et Cee ee pra Me saat ns mae cies binvwadetn ches h¢ 201 


CHAPTER XXVI. 
ST. NICHOLAS AND LIMASOL. 


News of Marble Relics—Off to Search—Heavy Weather—Church of 
St. Nicholas—Ancient Temple—Monastery Garden—Salt Marsh— 
Building Houses—Turkish Women, Coquetry—Franciscan Con- 
vent—Monastic Grayeyard—A new Church—A Smart Man—Man- 
ufacture of Antiquities—A Parade round the Town—-Hospitable 
Priests —School— Domestic Economy of Cyprian Family —A 
Cyprian Lady-—-Chinese Nobility—Prospects of Trade—Popula- 
SRR PROV MUS LIEIDOTY 6 6 Sie 's vod cas d ain's cee vince evince steeds becwn: OOM 


CHAPTER XXVIL 
AMATHTS. 


A Morning Ride—A Sudden Change—The devouring Lion—Heat-- 
Favored Tracts—Site of Amathus—Export of Stone--A Natural 
Fortress — Hamath— French Antiguarians—A precious Relic— 
Vandalism by French Officers—Gigantic Vases—Adonis—Ane- 
mones—Feasts—Pygmalion—Paphos, Son of Pygmalion—Under 
the Ptolomies-—Remains of the City-——-Excavations—Amathus the 
City—Mania for Destruction—Capo delle Gatte—Cats............ 218 


Xvi CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER XXVIIL 


KARUBIEH AND MAZOTOS. 
PAGE 


Cape Karubieh—Deserted Village—Fruit Ships—Fruit--Carob-trees— 

’ A Cyprian Farm-house—Our Worthy Hostess—Light Soil—Farm 
Laborer—Cost of Living—Priests—Hospitality—Kiti — Mount of 
the Holy Cross—St. Helena—Sacred Relic—Game—Wine........ 228 


CHAPTER XXIX, 
LAST DAYS IN LARNAKA. 


Dancing Girl—Aphrodite--St. George the Martyr--Patron Saint of 
England—Legend of St. George—-Tenets of the Greek Church— 
Clergy — Churches—-Servia — Panagia—Sunday Trading—Hand- 
some Girls—Cypriote Husbands—Turkish Houses—Departure 
from the Island. ..... 2 cscesessecscescaseececspecussssceesneeee 235 


CHAPTER XXX. - 
EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 

Frederick the Second—An imperial Marriage—Cyprian Opinions— 
Barons—-Knights—Importance of Cyprus as a Military Position~ 
Regency—Quarrels—Promises of Amendment—Form of Govern- 
ment—Departure of the Emperor—The Emperor Denounced—Se- 
dition—Terms of Peace--The Emperor is Crowned—State of Cyprus 
—Civil Wars-—Rebellion—The Verse-maker—Success of Ibelin... 244 


CHAPTER XXXI. 
MARSHAL FELINGHEK. © 
Cyprus Lost—A Fleet Sent—Ihbelin at Beyrut—Internal Disaffection 
—Defeat of Ibelin—Strenuous Efforts to raise Money—Bank 
Notes—The Genoese Rise—Defeat of the Imperialists—Death of 


Queen Alice—Peaceful Proposals—Renewed Hostilities-—Papal 
. Interference—The Last of the German Influence ............... 267 


oa 


CHAPTER XXXII. 
CYPRUS AND THE EUPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY. 

The Projected Railway—Cyprus a Terminal Station—Sir F. Gold- 
smid—Position of Cyprus—Ports—Commerce—Harbors—Differ- 
ent Routes for Line--Mr. W. P. Andrew—Political Importance of 
Line—Fertility of Adjacent Country—Re-opening a Neglected 
Country—India nearer Home... ........ccecesensscccccsctesies 280 


APPENDIX..... RE EE ETE es OP re et er ee 295 


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 





AE OURS MR OEE <sacare 5 tle dices asics co ops in beees Facing Title-page 
2. MAP SHOWING RELATION OF CYPRUS TO THE ADJACENT COASTS, ix 
MR er een ok aris tha ch spl «cours Gaamabdesietehose.s 2 
4. COURT-YARD OF BRITISH CONSULATE AT LARNAKA............ 6 
8 OT RE er et Pee a ree ag re yy Oe Mae es 8 
Rie aU MERECIUON tate Palas cha a xaidala nes ia <u ae bic asine tice secsche esac 8 
7. MOsSQuE OF St. SOPHIA AT NIKOSIA... 2.2.2... cece cece eet oees 26 
8. NIKOSIA... ...... Denier te gtd Ciel ie Balais oe o dee arate waste vneieia's 20 
EN ae toe 5 vic'e gw'a'soa sin'd tle cwpecucds gasatoad seas 54 
Reon OD Ne ae wie Cd cada cialw acres tdtinka nde sconces 54 
1i. Norra Coast View From St. HILARION OF THE MOUNTAIN 
SE aaa aia varare Wes'e ee od ens sé seve sss setesee 56 
12. RUINS OF THE GOVERNOR’S PALACE AT FAMAGUSTA........... 68 
13. Tae CHAIN OF MOUNT OLYMPUS. .. 2.2.0.5. . 5c ccc ccc cee ees 80 
REE SPN MMINES Dig kos gS Grd Wsle's a viee'owne Vedas os ues wee ve 94 
RNIN MER ROadal sain Sista oe > a'sips «be vs carelv,dals4 o¥ eaves d, nee 114 
16. THE Mosque or MAHOMET’s NURSE...... Bae Tomes eee bed te 114 
17. VrEW BETWEEN LEOKOSIA AND CERINA...........00eeeeeeee 142 
ee RL ES ky Snr a Sige Stina s sac tcc ws bees asst ols ve cs a 258 
ERR Oe RUAPRMEASIEE TE a vd wine ovis cS Wiewisi dg cSe d's pe cvaceinsceasess vie £93 
20. 


) Ditie CATHEDRAL AT FAMAGUSTA... .o0cccce cc cuvecncccceccncs 802 





CYPRUS, 


HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


_— 


CHAPTER L. 
LARNAKA, 


Tue first approach to Larnaka, the chief sea-port 
of Cyprus, is well caloulated to impress the traveler. 
The boundless expanse of blue sky and sea, the bold 
outline of the hills and mountains, brought out as 
they are into sharp relief by the clearness and _bril- 
lianey of the atmosphere, seem to throw the works 
of man far into the background and boldly assert 
the simple grandeur of nature. 

Such were my involuntary reflections as we dropped 
anchor in the roads of Larnaka on April 21st, 1877. 
This entrance to the island displays an expansive 
bay, the yellow sands of which are bordered by an 
extensive plain, broken by bare and rocky hills, and 
in the blue distance backed by a chain of moun- 
tains. A landscape was before me, in which the 


towns, gardens, and buildings constituted only minor 
z 


2 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


accessories. Larnaka appeared as a mere speck 
on the bosom of the open country. The haven con- 
tains about fifty houses, built in the centre of the 
curve of the bay, and above them wave the varie-. 
gated flags of the different consulates, surmounted 
by pointed minarets and a new belfry. The town 
of Larnaka itself lies far behind, and is separated by 
wide fields from the haven. Thanks to the kind- 
ness of the German consul, a friendly welcome 
awaited me at the landing-place, where I found a 
dragoman ready to conduct me to my destination. 
Before leaving the haven, however, I inspected its 
streets, which presented an animated appearance. 
Artisans plied their trades in all directions, and dirt 
reigned supreme. The rows of houses, interspersed 
with stately mansions, churches, and gardens filled 
with waving palms, constitute its principal attrac- 
tions; all else is strictly Oriental, namely, its filth, 
rags, and miserable huts of wood and clay. 

In the Catholic church we found a solitary monk, 
who showed us some fine carvings. The pictures 
upon the partition which separates the altar from 
the rest of the church are diligently kissed by the 
worshippers. I could not but approve this custom, 
if only from the fact that a law of the church re- 
quired that no one should salute the sacred pictures 
without previously washing his face. This ceremony 
takes place once a week, so that, happily, the gold 
and silver covered panels are not distinguished by 


‘VIVNUVT 











LARNAKA. 3 


a black circle in the spots where they are kissed. 
With the exception of an occasional block of marble 
built into the walls of a house, or a sarcophagus, 
utilized as a receptacle for water, I saw nothing to 
recall the ancient power of the busy crowds that 
once animated this spot. Their tombs, excavated 
in the stratum of chalk, which lies below the sur- 
face, were once filled with marble sarcophagi, which 
century by century have been dragged out and em- 
ployed for building purposes. Hence the revolting 
name given to this town, for Larnaka, literally in- 
terpreted, means simply a coffin. Others, however, 
assert that the name is derived from the fact that 
the houses were built upon the site of an ancient 
graveyard. 

The Pheenicians are believed to have first founded 
a town here and called it Kiti; by the Greeks it 
was known as Kition, and from this source was de- 
rived the Asiatic designation of Kitier, for the in- 
habitants of Cyprus. At a later date Grecian set- 
tlers took possession of it; artists, weavers, and 
artisans in large numbers poured in, and dwelt side 
by side with the Syrians, but occupied their own 
part of the town, gradually introducing their own 
Janguage to common use as in Antioch and Alexan- 
dria, and giving a Grecian tone to the education of 
the higher classes. The Latin tongue, on the con- 
trary, seems never to have gained a footing in the 
East. Cyprus, however, formed an exception to 


4 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


this rule, and during the four centuries that the 
island was subject to the sway of the Lusignan dy- 
nasty and Venetian rule, Latin was in general use. 
Not a trace of it, however, now remains. Modern 
Greek is spoken, even in most of the Turkish houses, 
and is understood in every part of the country. The 
consulate body in Larnaka has representatives from 
every state in Europe. Its haven is the best in the 
island, although on account of the shallowness of 
the water, vessels are compelled to steer clear of the 
sand and ride at some distance from the town. 

The whole of this interesting island may be re- 
garded as one huge graveyard, the treasures of 
which are disclosed at every turn of the spade. In 
Idalion, the Greeks, it appears, had formerly made 
their graves three feet below the surface, and, prob- 
ably unknown to themselves, only some three or four 
feet above those occupied by the Phcenician colonists. 
In these graves, now filled up by the drifting earth 
of successive centuries, are found embedded small 
earthen articles, trinkets, coins, and a great variety. 
of interesting trifle. Amongst other articles shown 
me, were elegant little figures, sucking bottles for 
children, and every variety of vases and cups in clay 
and glass.* What struck me most, however, were 
some delicate gold chains and ear-rings, and some 
yellowish-blue vases of Pheenician glass, 





*General Cesnola gives a most interesting description of Cyprian 
antiquities in a work published in 1877. 


LARNAKA. 5 


Toward evening I visited the chief part of the 
town, which is about a quarter of an hour’s walk 
from the haven, and called upon the bishop. Here 
I learnt many interesting facts concerning the re- 
cent improvements made in means of popular educa- 
tion. Until thirty years ago, schools were strictly 
prohibited, whereas now, every town has its train- 
ing school; whilst in three of the chief towns, Lar- 
naka, Nikosia, and Limasol, these are of three 
grades, and in them are taught, history, geography, 
and Grecian literature, even to the reading of Homer 
and Xenophon. ‘The prices for these classes are 
from 100 to 300 marks. Anything over and above 
this charge is covered by the bishop and a toll upon 
the exports and imports of the town. 

I then visited the church of St. Lazarus, which is 
surrounded by fine rows of pillars, with pointed 
arches, which give an impressive and sacred aspect 
to the building. The main part of the church is 
built in the form of a cross, with a dome in the 
centre, and is evidently of great antiquity. The 
building comprises three long large vaults, sur- 
mounted by three small cupolas. It seems that the 
Pacha Kudschuk Mehemed commanded the demoli- 
tion of these domes, on the ground that only a 
mosque should be so adorned, but after long and 
earnest entreaties, at last yielded so far as to con- 
sent to their being only half torn down, and the 
openings filled up with planks. They were after- 


6 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


wards restored, and fifteen years ago a handsome 
clock tower was erected, surmounted by the Rus- 
sian double eagle. 

When I issued from the church, evening had 
closed in, and the priests, robed in black, with lights 
in their hands, lent an air of solemn mystery to this 
fine building. St. Lazarus is supposed to have died 
in Cyprus, and his marble coffin, adorned with one 
rose, stands in a narrow recess. The tomb is empty; 
the bones, in all probability, having been taken pos- 
session of by the Venetians as sacred relics. Next 
morning I wandered out to explore the environs of 
the town. The air was spring-like and balmy, flow- 
ers, amongst which I observed tulips and hyacinths, 
enlivened the ground, and the blue waves danced in 
the light of the sun. Waving palms and high hedges 
of Indian cactus hid the haven from my sight, and 
lent an air of solitude and repose to the whole scene, 
whilst as far as the eye could reach, the fields were 
filled with fruit trees, and the landscape enlivened 
by flocks of goats and sheep. The whole scene 
formed an Oriental picture of great beauty, and I 
could not help exclaiming to myself, “If this is the 
worst part of the country what a paradise the in- 
terior must be!” 

In the evening, having obtained the loan of a 
fine Arab horse, I rode off to investigate a curious 
building, at no great distance from the town. This 
remarkable structure, which is half embedded in the 





COURTYARD OF THE BRITISH CONSULATE AT LARNAKA. 




















a 
nai Le ’ 


[ 7 





LARNAKA, 7 


earth and rock, resembles a baker’s oven, and is high 
enough to permit a man to stand upright within it. 
The sides are formed of large blocks of stone, and 
the roof covered by one huge slab. This erection is 
divided into three parts. A small chamber is hewn 
in the bare rock, which forms a natural wall at the 
back of the structure. Formerly a similar chamber 
opened upon the front of the large centre portion, 
but this is now destroyed. These apartments seem 
to have been closed by slabs, let down from above 
into grooves, which are still visible. This ruin was 
probably first used by the Phcenicians as a_burial- 
place, and at a later date consecrated to the virgin 
mother Phaneromene Panagia. This spot hasa great 
attraction for the peasant women of the surrounding 
country, who believe that its sacred walls possess a 
peculiar virtue for those suffering from grievous 
sickness or for childless women. ‘These latter often 
make pilgrimages hither, carrying a lamp concealed 
under their garments. At the entrance the lamp is 
kindled, and the suppliant steps barefooted into the 
third chamber, where she offers her prayers to 
Panagia, and leaves her lamp as a votive offering. 
Turkish women, I am informed, also practice this 
ceremony. 

At a very short distance from this interesting 
relic, and almost ciose to the sea, lies the celebrated 
lake from which the Phcenicians extracted the salt 
they so largely exported. Its value has in this re- 


8 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


spect by no means deteriorated. During the winter 
rains it becomes filled with brackish water, which 
evaporates as ina vast cauldron, under the burning 
sun of July and August, and deposits a thick coat 
of fine salt at its bottom. Night soon closes in in 
these latitudes, and as I left the spot, the sun sud- 
denly lit up sea, sky, and earth in one blaze of 
glowing color, and then rapidly sank to rest. Dark- 
ness at once set in, and I rode home through a si- 
lence as complete, and a solitude as profound, as if 
I were traversing the open desert. 

The cause of unhealthiness in most towns in Cy- 
prus is quite local and easily removed. Thus, 
round Larnaka and Famagusta are marshes which 
infect the air, and are apt to induce fever and ague 
in summer, ; 











Fo Ve 5 i ate Ft 


——* 





FAMAGUSTA.—See Page 11. 


if 3 





CHAPTER IL 
ATIIIENU. 


Ar seven o'clock the following morning I started 
for Athienu, and as I passed through the streets 
of Larnaka, the town was still quiet, and almost 
empty. 

The better class of houses stand within a court- 
yard and garden, and are furnished with large ve- 
randas, supported by light pillars. Women and 
girls of the lowest class were to be seen lounging 
about the narrow, crooked streets. As I quitted 
the town, the day became all that a traveler could 
desire. The air was bright and pure, and a balmy 
breeze swept over the green plains. The swallows 
were skimming through the air, and countless larks 
were trilling their sweetest notes. 

Cyprus, I must here observe, is very bountifully 
supplied with birds. I was told that many thou- 
sand larks were offered in the market-place of Lar- 
naka. The eggs of the partridge are still more 
esteemed, and I have often heard the call of these 
birds in the grass toward evening. 

As I pursued my journey, I soon found myself 
between ranges of chalk hills, and then passed for 

9 = a 


10 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


miles over bleached and barren highlands. These 
form part of a chain of hills connected toward the 
south with the western range of mountains, and 
-extending in a long line to the sea. Very rarely 
we passed a little hut, standing in a blooming gar- 
den, and forming a veritable oasis in this miniature 
desert. As I reached the last height, I obtained a 
peep of the sea near Larnaka, whilst before me, 
toward the northern portion of the island, towered 
a superb range of mountains, bristling with innu- 
merable peaks, and tinted with various shades of 
brown. ‘This chain extends north of the western 
mountains to the coast, where, passing onwards into 
the sea, it forms the groundwork of the Carpasian 
peninsula. To my left were also broad, dark, stu- 
pendous mountains, running through the whole 
western portion of the island. One peak, the 
“'Troados,” formerly the Cyprian “ Olympus,” reared 
a snow-covered crown. At my feet lay the exten- 
sive plains of Messaria, watered by mountain 
streamlets, and forming one huge cornfield. <A 
group of thirteen camels, tended by two negroes, 
stood in a pasture-ground beneath me, and imparted 
a still more Eastern character to the scene. These 
negroes were probably paid servants, but formerly 
black slaves were commonly employed in this island. 
The Government has forbidden this traffic in human 
flesh; but as a negro will do a better day’s work 
than five Cypriotes, their introduction is winked at, 


ATHIENU. 11 


and many are landed in the northern havens, and 
are taken by night to the neighboring mountains. 
About noon I reached the town of Athienu, the 
inhabitants of which are considerably ania the 
average Cypriote in manliness and intelligence. I 
learnt that they trace their descent from ‘the fam- 
ous defenders of the powerful fortress, Famagusta, 
which, in the Middle Ages, stood upon the western 
part of the island. Famagusta is encumbered with 
debris, and the covered pits from which the Turks 
assaulted the walls in the sixteenth century are now 
stagnant marshes. After the fall of Nikosia, this 
fortress had resisted the Turkish arms for more than 
a year, under the command of the brave Venetian 
captain, Bragadino. In vain the Turkish General 
Seraskier Mustapha stormed the place. Six times 
his men rushed on, their swords between their 
teeth, fascines and ladders in their hands, and six 
times they were driven back with great slaughter. 
Mustapha was furious, his best troops were gone, 
and he well knew his head must pay the penalty at 
Constantinople should he return unsuccessful. The 
town was invested, and six months later, when 
every scrap of food and ammunition was exhausted, 
the starving people forced their captain to surrender. 
Mustapha at once proposed the most honorable 
terms. The garrison were to retain their arms and 
baggage, and be sent in Turkish ships to Crete, 


oo 5 


WEhoave! desired to go to another part of the island 


12 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


might do so with all his possessions, whilst those 
who preferred to remain, were to be perfectly un- 
molested, both as regarded their religion and prop- 
. erty. 

On the 5th August, 1571, the fortress was taken 
possession of by the Turkish fleet, and Bragadino at 
once rode down to the shore, accompanied by three 
generals, to deliver up the keys to his captors. Over 
his head was a red silk umbrella, and on his shoul- 
ders a purple mantle that swept the ground, in to- 
ken of his distinguished rank. Mustapha received 
him, at first, with all honor; but in the course of 
conversation, became so insolent that Bragadino re- 
plied to him in angry terms. The four generals 
were at once attacked, Bragadino’s nose and ears 
cut off, and his companions hewn to pieces. Three 
hundred men of his garrison were mercilessly butch- 
ered, and a scene of carnage and pillage ensued 
which lasted three days. Only a small remnant of 
the higher classes were allowed to escape, on condi- 
tion that they should separate and settle in the prin- 
cipal towns. 

Bragadino was fastened to a rope and dropped 
into the sea, from which he was again fished out, 
laded with two baskets of earth and sent to the 
new Turkish entrenchments. On his arrival he was 
seized, thrown down, and slowly tortured to death, 
amidst the gibes and brutal laughter of Mustapha 
and his followers. He died as he had lived, like a 


ATHIENU. 13 


hero, but this did not protect his body from insult. 

His skin was stuffed with hay, placed on a cow, and 

led throughout the camp and town, and was finally 

attached to the mast of Mustapha’s ship, and taken, 
to Constantinople, where the pitiless conqueror was 

received with open arms. 

I dined at the table of an Athenitan, and have 
seldom been better entertained ; the room was small 
but clean, and my hostess young and charming. Our 
fare, which was admirably cooked, consisted of fried 
eggs. roast fowl and pillau. For dessert, oranges, 
artichokes, and some excellent dark wine, were set 
before me. After dinner I enjoyed a refreshing 
sleep, and then bidding adieu to my good hosts, pro- 
ceeded on my way. 

Dali, the ancient Idalion, was my next resting 
place ; here was formerly the Temple of Venus, now 
a mere heap of ruins, but I saw little worthy of 
note. These plains of Cyprus are watered by two 
streams, one of which flows east, and the other west. 
Both are named after the towns toward which they 
flow, the larger being called the Dali and the lesser 
the Morfu. In ancient times these rivers were 
known as the Pedias and Satrachos, and both much 
resemble the Nile in appearance. During the rainy 
season these streams run rapidly, spreading their 
yellow waters over the surrounding country, and 
when they retire, leave a thick deposit of slime or 
mud. I am told that the Pedias was formerly called 


14 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


the Cyprian Nile. The table-like rocks of the plain 
of Messaria, through which I now journeyed, form a 
very peculiar and interesting feature of its scenery. 
_These rocks, called rpaweGar, from their table-like 
appearance, are considered by the Cypriotes to be 
useless for agricultural purposes; I rode over several 
of them to test the truth of this assertion, and found 
the chalk only visible in certain parts, the rest of 
the surface being well fitted for the growth of vines 
and other plants. But of what avail is it, that a 
few hills might be cultivated, in a country whose 
plains for generations have not been touched by a 
plow or hoe? Not a sheep or goat was to be 
seen in the plains, once called by the ancients 
payapia, or the blessed. Now that Cyprus again 
enjoys the comforts of a judicious government, she 
will speedily bring forth all the fruits of the earth 
with profusion. This, however, will not be done 
without difficulty and patient perseverance. 

A Cyprian ox! (fods zv@pi0s) was the ancient 
nickname conferred upon the Cypriotes in derision 
of their stolid obtuseness. Dirty, but contented, 
they lounge through life without making the slight- 
est effort to improve their condition, All emulation 
or pride in their professions seems to have died out 
under the weight of a tyrannical and unsympathetic 
government. 

The following short sketch of the cultivation of 
Cyprus, under the various dynasties, will show its 


ATHIENU. 15 


extraordinary natural resources, and the field for 
enterprise that will be opened out under British 
sway: | 

During the long centuries of Byzantine rule, 
many circumstances conduced to the animation of 
trade and proper cultivation of the fertile soil. 
Cyprus was long regarded as a veritable harbor of 
refuge, not only by those inhabiting the neighbor- 
ing Asiatic continent, but by the persecuted victims 
of various religious denominations, many of whom 
being quiet, industrious men, settled down at once 
in the country of their adoption as skillful tillers of 
the soil; whilst the Armenian and Syrian refugees 
taught and improved the arts of trade and com- 
merce, 

The introduction of the silkworm into Cyprus 
must, however, be regarded as a main cause of its 
long prosperity. Until that time the wearing of 
silk was confined entirely to the highest classes, and 
it could only be procured, at enormous cost, of 
merchants traveling from India and China. In the 
year 557 two monks brought a quantity of silk- 
worms’ eggs from India to offer them to the Em- 
peror Justinian, who, appreciating their commercial 
value, caused them to be distributed over different 
provinces. In no place did their culture succeed as 
in Cyprus; the warm, soft air, rarely agitated by 
wind and storm, exactly suited their requirements, 
and in a very short space of time the southern 


16 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


coasts, and other parts, were covered with mulberry 
trees for their sustenance, and the celebrated silk 
factories established and in full work. The rule of 
the Arab in Cyprus brought on the contrary deca- 
dence and misfortune in its train. These sons of the 
desert destroyed all before them, churches and tem- 
ples were laid in ruins, and books committed to the 
flames. Once, however, settled in the conquered 
dominion, they gave themselves up to the enjoy- 
ment of their new possessions. Jews and Christians 
were employed in building new palaces, and in trans- 
lating into Arabic the poetry of Persia and works 
of Eastern lore. For their own share of improve- 
ment the Arabs devoted themselves to the cultiva- 
tion of plants, and arranged splendid and well-irti- 
gated gardens, which they filled with trees and 
shrubs brought from Egypt, Syria, and Arabia. 

We learn that, as far as the island has been yet 
explored, it contains no less than one thousand dif. 
ferent sorts of plants. The forest growth is more 
especially luxuriant. According to Herr Unger, 
the “Pinus maritima,” in Cyprus, covers the hills 
and mountain regions to the height of 4,000 feet, 
and one of the commonest trees, the “ Pinus laricio,” 
which covers all the heights to 4,000 feet above the 
sea, is met with on the western mountains of the 
island to 6,000 feet, and gives them a dark appear- 
ance from the coast. The wild cypress, “ Cupressus’ 
horizontalis,” is the third tree which grows com- 


ATHIENU. 17 


monly in the eastern part of the island, and in some 
places forms, by itself, whole woods. On the en- 
tire northern chain of mountains this wild cypress 
often grows at the height of 2,000 feet to 3,000 
feet above the sea. Great forests of wild cypresses 
must have covered the whole of the south of the 
island, interspersed with a shrub, the “Juniperus 
Pheenicea.” In the north several varieties of oak 
are found, and throughout the island the arbutus 
abounds. ‘The carob-tree, “ Ceratonia siliqua,” and 
olive flourish on the banks of all the rivers, and up 
to an elevation of 1,000 feet above the sea. The 
succulent pods of the carob-tree are exported to 
Egypt and Syria, while the pulp, which is called 
St. John’s bread, from its resemblance to manna, is 
used as an article of food. Orange and lemon 
trees, and date-palms, are also met with in great pro- 
fusion. 

The cultivation of Cyprus during the thirteenth 
and fourteenth centuries was carried to great per- 
fection, and was still flourishing in the two succeed- 
ing centuries. During the chivalrous dominion of 
the Lusignans, inconceivable wealth and almost un- 
precedented luxury overspread the whole island, 
and in all the neighboring countries of the Mediter- 
ranean, Cyprus was spoken of as a miniature India, 
overflowing with treasure. Knights, philosophers, 
and adventurers streamed into the island. The 
prosperity of Cyprus must not, however, be attrib- 


18 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


uted to these new and able immigrants, but to the 
fact that its revenues were no longer drained by its 
tributes to foreign potentates, and that its princes 
ruled with prudence and justice. These new-com- 
ers to the island at once commenced cultivating the 
fruit-trees of their native lands. Apple, pear, plum, 
and medlar trees, however, did not thrive, but cher- 
ries, peaches, bananas, and apricots came to great 
perfection, and Cyprus is still noted for its walnuts. 
An attempt was next made to introduce the sugar- 
cane, with much success, and Cyprian sugar was 
soon in great request. The art of refining had, 
however, not been introduced, and the sugar only 
took the form of small blackish grains. 

The cultivation of the grape, which had dated 
from most ancient times, acquired new vigor under 
these influences, and was speedily recognized as the 
choicest vintage in the world. In no less esteem 
were held the silks and velvets woven in Cyprus, 
and the extended cultivation of the mulberry and 
the perfection of the art of weaving went hand in 
hand.* Syrian industry was united with European 
talent, and operatives from Persia, who came to 
give their services, brought with them seeds of the 
cotton-plant. So marvelously did this new venture 
prosper, that cotton was commonly known as the 
gold-plant, on account of its great commercial suc- 





*The white mulberry-tree does not thrive in Cyprus, 


ATHIENU. 19 


cess. In Nikosia, the capital of Cyprus, large weav- 
ing establishments were at once formed for the pro- 
duction of the fine calico, for which Cyprus was 
soon noted. During the whole of the Middle Ages,' 
Cyprus must be regarded as the garden in which 
tropical plants of all kinds were carefully acclima- 
tized, and from thence introduced and distributed 
over Greece, Italy, S. France, Spain, the Canary 
Islands, and America. 

A short distance from Nikosia, I observed a party 
of soldiers standing in a court-yard on the roadside. 
As I approached they quietly sprang into their sad- 
dles, and rode toward me with their sabres in their 
hands. On reaching me they saluted, and one of 
the party advancing, informed me, with a graceful 
wave of his hand, that he had been sent- by the 
Pacha of Cyprus to meet and conduct me to the 
lodging he had found for me. My new companion, 
who was a Catholic Armenian, speaking both 
French and Italian, chatted gayly to me as we rode 
on side by side. Our path lay through a valley be- 
tween the hills which still hid the city from our 
eyes. As soon as we reached the rising ground, 
hundreds of waving palm-trees were before us, in- 
terspersed with slender minarets, whilst here and 
there a fine dome, towering high, announced to me 
that the capital of Cyprus lay before us. A verita- 
ble gem of Eastern beauty it looked in the bright 
sunlight, its white walls and painted minarets stand- 


20 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


ing gayly out from the green, well watered plain 
and graceful palms, whilst fine belfries and Gothic 
churches gave an air of grandeur to the view. As 
we approached the sun went rapidly down, gold 
and purple clouds rolled over our heads, and the air 
was filled with a soft and delicious breeze. 

At the gates of the town we were met by a party 
of lepers begging for alms; the revolting sight 
seemed to throw a feeling of horror over the whole 
scene. Happily the unfortunates are not permitted 
to enter the city. We were now requested to form 
ourselves into a file in order to make our entrance 
in a becoming manner. Two soldiers went first 
with naked sabres in their hands, then followed the 
captain, then myself, and in my rear, our servants 
and baggage. In this wise we galloped along as 
rapidly as our mules would carry us, and as we 
passed the bazars and streets the people gathered 
about us and offered a respectful welcome. A nar- 
row dirty street brought us to the door of my lodg- 
ing, where I was received by the host and his ser- 
vants with many impressive genuflections, 

Here I parted with my friendly conductors, after 
offering them a return, in solid cash, which they 
evidently expected, for their civilities. The captain 
of the party shortly after returned to invite me to 
visit the governor, who belonged to a noble Bosnian 
family, at his residence. This gentleman had trav- 
eled much, and had visited both Paris and Vienna. 


ATHIENU. — 21 


He received me with all the grace of a Kuropean, 
and gave me much valuable information respecting 
this interesting town. What delighted me most, 
however, was the gift of an excellent map of the 
country, a treasure I had vainly attempted to obtain 
ever since my arrival, and which proved invaluable 
to me in all my journeyings. 

As I returned home the city lay in perfect rest, 
not a creature was to be seen, and the streets were 
only enlivened by the gambols of a few wretched, 
homeless dogs. 


CHAPTER IIL 


NIKOSIA. 


Tuis city, called by the Greeks Levkosia, and by 
the Turks Lefkoscha, impressed me more than any 
other Oriental town I have visited. An indescriba- 
ble blending of Eastern and Western characteristics 
meets the eye at every turn, and imparts a familiar 
appearance to the strange and interesting scene. 

How shall I give an idea of the uproar that 
roused me from my slumbers early next morning? 
Trumpets were sounding, muezzins were chanting in 
drawling tones from the tops of all the minarets, 
countless crows and ravens combined with cocks 
and hens to outvie in their performance the braying 
of asses and groaning of camels. Whilst over all 
clanged the bells from every belfry in the city. 
The following day being Easter-eve, this music com- 
menced at midnight, and continued without inter- 
ruption till morning, varied, however, by the firing 
of every old gun that could be mustered for the 
occasion. 

In passing through the streets of the town, I ob- 
served through the gates of the high-walled gardens 
many varieties of fruit trees, apples, at ane figs ; 


NIKOSIA. 23 


orange, lemon, mulberry, and pomegranate trees also 
lent their blossoms to give the finishing touches to 
the scene. The garden walls are high, but not so 
lofty as to exclude from view the slender white 
rainarets, dark cypresses, and waving palms that 
they inclose. Half Nikosia is made up of these 
lovely gardens. Everywhere water-pipes are gently 
pouring forth their offerings to the thirsty ground, 
and the whole town is redolent of perfume. The 
Cyprian sky resembles that of the Nile Valley in its 
cloudless, deep blue, and is equally beautiful in its 
clear expanse; while as for the climate, a very few 
days in its soft, delicious, balmy air makes one un- 
derstand why, of all the Grecian islands, Cyprus 
should have been allotted the privilege of being re- 
garded as the favorite residence of the Goddess of 
Love. At first I felt inclined to linger in this lovely 
spot and make myself acquainted with its literature ; 
but a nearer view showed me my time would not be 
profitably spent. Society there was none, the few 
Europeans the city contained being entirely engaged 
in striving to make a little money. 

Domestic life in Cyprus is generally confined 
within the precincts of its beautiful gardens, and in 
most of its relations is strictly Turkish. Women of 
the higher classes in Nikosia wear a delicate white 
veil and silken garments, instead of the bright blue, 
yellow, and red veil usually seen in the other 
towns. 


24 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


Dr. Clark, in his “ Travels,’ says:—“ The inter- 
esting costume presented in the dress of the Cyprian 
ladies ought not to pass unnoticed. Their head 
apparel was precisely modelled after the kind of 
calathus represented upon the Pheenician idols of 
the country and Egyptian statues. This was worn 
by women of all ranks, from the wives of the con- 
suls to their slaves. Their hair, dyed of a fine 
brown color by means of a plant called ‘henna,’ 
hung behind in numerous long straight braids; and, 
in some ringlets disposed near the face, were fast- 
ened blossoms of the jessamine, strung together up- 
on strips of leaves of the palm-tree in a very curious 
and pleasing manner. Next to the Calmuk women, 
the Grecians are, of all others, best versed in cos- 
metic arts. They possess the valuable secret of 
giving a brown color to the whitest locks, and also 
tinge the eyebrows the same hue, an art that would 
be highly prized in London and Paris. The most 
splendid colors are displayed in their habits, and 
these are very becoming to the girls of the island. 
The upper robe is always of scarlet, crimson, or 
green silk, embroidered with gold. Like other 
Greek women, they wear long scarlet pantaloons, 
fastened round the ankle, and yellow boots, with 
slippers of the same color. Around the neck and 
from the head are suspended a profusion of gold 
coins, chains, and other trinkets. About their 
waists they have a large belt, or zone, fastened in 


NIKOSIA. 25 


front by two large and heavily-polished brass plates, 
They endeavor to make the waist as long as possi- 
_ble, and their legs consequently short. Naturally 
corpulent, they take no pains to diminish the size of 
their bodies by lacing, but seem rather vain of their 
bulk, exposing their bosoms at the same time ina 
manner highly unbecoming. Notwithstanding the 
extraordinary pains they use to disfigure their natu- 
ral beauty by all manner of ill-selected ornaments, 
the women of Cyprus are handsomer than those of 
any other Grecian island. They have a taller and 
more stately figure, and the features, particularly of 
the women of Nikosia, are regular and dignified, 
exhibiting that elevated cast of countenance so uni- 
versally admired in the works of Greek artists. At 
present this kind of beauty seems peculiar to the 
women of Cyprus.” 

The women of Nikosia walk lightly and gracefully, 
instead of presenting the appearance, as do many of 
their country-women, of stuffed sacks rolling along, 
_and unlike most Turkish ladies, can often boast neat 
and slender figures. In my own opinion the town 
does not contain more than 12,000 inhabitants, many, 
however, estimate their number as 18,000. 

In former times Nikosia was some miles in cireum- 
ference and was three times as large as it is now. 
Ruins of churches and cloisters are to be seen in all 
directions outside the present town. Of late years 


the Greek and Turkish inhabitants associate much 
3 2 


26 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


more freely than formerly. Turkish servants are 
often met with in Greek houses, and intermarriages 
are by no means uncommon. The dress of the peas- 
antry is almost Turkish, and pillau, essentially a 
Turkish dish, is commonly seen on every table in 
the island. Many of the professed Mussulmans are 
actually Christians, and have their children bap- 
tized in secret. Their forefathers were followers of 
the Prophet through fear and compulsion,.and it 
would expose any one to much persecution and ob- 
loquy, who openly declared that he no longer be- 
longed to that faith. 

During the days of Venetian rule, many Italian 
words became grafted into the language, whilst 
French, on the contrary, is entirely forgotten in 
Cyprus. In Nikosia, the Turkish inhabitants pride 
themselves on the purity with which they speak 
their own language; indeed, I am informed that 
nowhere, except in Constantinople, can this be heard 
in greater perfection. The Grecian population speak 
Greek. This desire on the part of the Turks to 
keep their language pure and undefiled, must be re- 
garded as a lingering attempt to preserve the ancient 
renown and dignity of Nikosia in a time when its 
homes were palaces, and their inhabitants wealthy 
and esteemed. Of their ancient mansions but little 
is now left beyond a few stately ruins. Many of 
the fine old walls have been broken down within 
some feet of the ground, and upon them wretched 











MOSQUE OF ST, SOPHIA AT NICOSIA.—See Page 2 


NIKOSIA. 27 


little huts of wood and clay erected to serve as a 
hasty refuge for some indigent family. If asked 
why they do not bestow more care upon their houses, 
the indolent workmen will inform you, that, “ it is 
not worth while to build better on account of the 
frequent earthquakes.” On these occasions I have 
often felt tempted to inquire if earthquakes were 
only known to the modern Cypriotes?. The ancient 
buildings of the island are readily recognized by 
the large blocks of brown Saad ee of “which the 
walls are built. 

The Cathedral of St. Sophia forms the centre of 
attraction in Nikosia, This fine edifice is built in 
the Gothic style, and richly decorated; of this or- 
nameéntation, only the carved stone-work remains. 
The pillared interior of the church is approached 
from the portico by three arched portals. The walls 
of this noble building are decorated by whitewash, 
and, to please the Turkish taste, pillars and capitals 
are stteaked and daubed with red, green and yel- 
low. Happily the beautiful ar dled” windows are 
still framed in rich carving. The base of the bell 
tower is adorned with two unusually high minarets. 
Close to the Cathedral is the Church of St. Nicho- 
_ las, with its three noble entrance gates; here all the 
niches are charmingly decorated with a living tracery 
- in the shape of a great variety of stonecrop. The 
fine interior of this church is now used as a gran- 
ary. The Archbishop’s chapel is another interesting 


28 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


building, of which the walls are covered with an- 
cient pictures. The archiepiscopal throne with its 
gilding and the handsome altar-screen, are but dimly 
seen in the mellow half-light. 

As I left the Archiepiscopal chapel, I was met by 
a young priest, who ~brought me a friendly invita- 
tion to take a cup of coffee with the Lord Arch- 
bishop. I had so much still to see that I felt com- 
pelled to decline this courtesy. The young priest 
modestly urged that it was the custom for all stran- 
gers to pay their respects to his Grace, and that I 
should not willingly be the first to decline. My 
time only permitted me to make a hurried all, 
which fact I, however, since much regretted, as I 
afterwards found that the head of the Cyprian 
Church is a worthy and distinguished man, who 
well deserves his title of wayapiwraros. 

A dignitary of the Greek Church may certainly 
be considered as much more fortunately situated 
than any other official in Europe. During his en- 
tire life he can mount a perfect Jacob’s ladder of 
preferments and emoluments, and may don every 
shade of color, in robes of black, green, yellow, and 
red to rich purple; he can also exhibit a variety of 
crosiers and mitres. The Archbishop of Cyprus, 
who has now obtained the highest rank, signs his 
name with red ink, seals with the imperial double- 
headed eagle, carries a shepherd’s crook, surmounted 
by a golden orb, and bears a title enumerating his 


NIKOSIA. 29 


saintly and lordly attributes. The income of this 
dignitary is derived from two sources—voluntary 
offerings and tithes, and sums paid for dispensa- 
tions, marriages, and masses. The archbishop has 
many claims upon this revenue, and has annually to 
send money to Constantinople, the Archbishop of 
Cyprus being a vassal of the Sultan’s. The four 
bishops of Cyprus, though chosen from its capital, 
are also compel/ed to obtain the consent of this 
potentate to their election. The Greek priests are 
said to average two per cent. of the whole popula- 
tion; it may therefore be supposed that their posi- 
tion is a degraded one, and their incomes very 
small. Many of those in Nikosia can scarcely do 
more than read the services and perform the vari- 
ous ceremonies with proper intelligence and deco- 
rum, whilst those in the village cures are so re- 
duced that they must often resort to the mending 
of shoes, and tending of sheep and cattle, to earn a 
bare livelihood. 

The church of St. Katherine, now turned into a 
mosque, has a fine entrance, adorned with three 
arches and pillars, with Corinthian capitals. Two 
stately marble columns lie in the court-yard; these, 
with their fine carved escutcheons, have been torn 
down by the Turks and employed as seats. The 
graves of the brave defenders of the city are still 
held in honor, and small cupolas are erected to mark 
their resting-places. The spot where the first Turk 





30 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


mounted and fell when the city was stormed, is also 
distinguished by a small dome. The gravestone is 
marble, and the coffin of wood, overshadowed by 
the green flag of the Prophet. Nikosia can boast a 
very unusual number ot churches and mosques, and 
we are told that, when the city was at the height 
of its glory, there were no less than two hundred 
and fifty chapels and churches. Cyprus is also 
especially remarkable for the number of graves of 
its saints. 3 

In all ages the island was regarded as a harbor 
of refuge from persecution or tyranny, and its close 
proximity to Syria and Palestine attracted many 
suffering Christians to its shores. In the thirteenth 
century Cyprus possessed no less than fourteen 
bishoprics, each of which were founded on some 
memorable or sacred spot. Paul and Barnabas, we 
know, preached the Gospel in Cyprus, and we learn 
that many were turned from the error of their ways 
to commence a new life. Accompanied by John, 
the Apostles landed at Salamis, and traveled over 
the whole island, preaching especially in the syna- 
gogues of the Greek Jews, who were then very 
numerous. In Paphos they encountered the Roman 
consul Sergius Paulus, who speedily became a con- 
vert, and here Elymas, the sorcerer, was struck by 
them with temporary blindness, as a chastisement 
for his endeavors to turn away their converts from 
the true faith. The Apostle Saul here adopted the 





















































































































































NICOSIA.—See Page 81. 





NIKOSIA. 31 


Roman fashion and changed his name to Paulus. 
St. Barnabas afterward suffered martyrdom in Sal- 
amis, where he was burned to death. During the 
reign of Justinian, his grave was opened and a copy 
of the Gospel of St. Matthew found lying on his 
breast. Salamis was also the birthplace of the cele- 
brated St. Katherine. | 
The royal palace of Nikosia was built in the Nor- 
man-Gothic style and must have been a noble edifice. 
With the exception of an arched doorway, however, 
but little now remains bevond the outer walls, with 
gaps where the windows once were, and balconies 
with wooden latticework and wooden roofs, This 
palace was formerly the residence of the pacha. 
During my visit to the city the jails were full of 
prisoners; the majority of these, I was told, were 
sent over from Syrian prisons to work out their 
terms of imprisonment. The Cypriotes themselves 
bore the character of being peaceable in their habits, 
and not easily roused to acts of violence and crime. 
In the court of the palace stands a high pillar, 
which tradition says criminals used to be compelled 
to mount before receiving their sentences. I could 
fancy this ancient pillar, ornamented with winged 
lions, must resemble that in the market-place in 
Venice. I observed also the shattered remains of 
another Venetian lion, which, a few years ago, was 
wantonly destroyed by one of the pachas. Near 
the pillar above alluded to are reared three grave- 


32 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


stones, decorated with knightly escutcheons and 
Latin inscriptions. — 

In the evening I dined with the pacha, a gentle- 
man of great intelligence, who has had a most thor- 
ough European education, Our conversation hap- 
pened to turn upon those interesting relics of past 
ages. My host spoke with much regret of the dam- 
age constantly and wantonly done to them by Turk- 
ish soldiers, and bitterly deplored his own inability 
to check their destructive propensities, which are 
all the more difficult of restraint, as they proceed 
from religious enthusiasm ; followers of Mahommed 
being strictly prohibited, by the Koran, to make any 
image; this prohibition being not only confided to 
works of wood and stone, but including the precious 
works of the sculptor and the painter. Before quit- 
ting this interesting city, I cannot refrain from add- 
ing the testimony of a writer of the fourteenth cen- 
tury to the salubrity of the climate around this 
city. “ Nikosia,” he tells us, “ lies beneath the shel- 
ter of surrounding hills, and is noted for the health- 
iness of its air and the purity of its balmy breezes. 
For this reason it was selected as the residence of 
the court, nobility, bishops, and in fact all such as 
were free to choose where they might settle. Tour- 
naments and hunting formed their chief amuse- 
ments; leopards and aspecies of mountain goat being 
the favorite objects of chase.” The same authority 
states that the nobility of Cyprus were at that 


NIKOSIA. 33 


period the richest in the world, anincome of 3,000 
gulden being regarded with no more respect than a 
few shillings would be in other places. All these 
fine fortunes seem to have suffered severely from 
the heavy expenses attendant on their favorite pas- 
times. We are told of a count of Jaffa, that he 
kept five hundred hounds and a servant for every 
two dogs. Many of these nobles did not have less 
than two hundred men as falconers and huntsmen. 
During their hunting excursions it was no uncom- 
mon thing for them to camp out in the woods and 
mountains for a month at a time, sleeping in their 
tents, and taking camels and mules with them, over- 
Jaden with all the necessaries of life. These nobles, 
we are told, were men of education and experience, 
speaking many languages, and hearing all the news 
of the world from the intercourse they had with the 
constant stream of travelers who visited this richly- 
endowed and famous land from all parts. The 
same writer tells us that the city of Famagusta was 
still more noted than Nikosia for its riches, and 
enumerates the following instances of reckless ex- 
penditure and rich possessions. 

“The daughter of a citizen in this city, is stated 
at the time of her betrothal to have been endowed 
with jewels that exceeded in value those in the 
crown of the King of France. One of the mer- 
chants of Famagusta, we are told, sold to the Sultan, 
for the sum of 60,000 gulden, an imperial ball of 


b4 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


gold set with four fine stones, an emeraid, a carbun- 
cle, a pearl, and a sapphire; some years after, desir- 
ing to repossess it, he offered the monarch 100,000 
gulden, if he would return it, but was refused. Of 
the profusion of gold cloth, rich stuffs, and jewels 
of all kinds, he tells us he feels sure his statements 
would be regarded as incredible. The wood of the 
aloe alone, which is elsewhere regarded as very val- 
uable, is so common here as to be held in no es- 
teem.” 


CHAPTER IV. 
CYPRUS IN THE MIDDLE AGES. 


Wuen standing amidst the grand relics of a past 
age which meet the eye at every turn in the capital 
of this beautiful island, or when wandering about 
its dirty narrow streets, I could not but reflect on 
the manifold changes this fine city has undergone, 
and picture the days when she stood in the zenith 
of her fame and beauty. 

The career of Cyprus is without a parallel in the 
history of the world. Here we find established in 
the very heart of the East, on Pheenician Grecian 
foundations, a mighty kingdom distinguished by its 
high display of all ‘that adorned the. finest age of 
chivalry, and in spite of all the agitations w high be- 
set the outer world, retaining these traditions till 
the close of the sixteenth century, when the Turks 
swept down upon her, carrying ruin and destruction 
in their train. 

It will be worth one’s while to linger for a few 
minutes whilst we note the history of Cyprus dur- 
ing these four centuries. “This sweet island,” as 
the poets of the country are fond of calling her, was 


for nine hundred years under the dorkinion of the 
35 


36 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


Byzantine kings, until in 1191 it was seized upon in 
a burst of anger by our own impetuous and rash 
Coeur de Lion, whose indignation had been excited 
by a refusal to allow his queen, Berengaria, to land. 
He at once forced a landing at Limasol, stormed the 
city, overthrew the prince’s army, and overspread 
the whole island, compelling the people to submit 
to nm. 

A prince of the house of Comnena was at this 
time on the throne. Richard, for the first time aware 
of the value of his new possession as a gathering 
point and resting-place in any further attempts upon 
the Turks, and yet unable to take the government 
upon his own shoulders, resolved to make money of 
his lucky. acquisitions, and offered the crown to 
Wido (Guido) Lusignan, ex-king of Jerusalem, for 
the sum of 100,000 ducats. During the time of 
Richard’s possession he conducted himself with 
much severity to the inhabitants. Half the land 
was at once appropriated to the use of himself and 
his followers, a certain portion was set aside for his 
personal expenses and the endowment of churches 
and monasteries, and the rest divided and allotied 
as feudal tenures to his followers. 

Such an El Dorado was not to be regarded with 
indifference by the adventurous knights of Christen- 
dom, and numbers followed in the wake of Richard 
to receive their share of the titles and baronial fiefs 
that were being lavished around. 


333 


sie, te CYPRUS IN THE MIDDLE AGES. 37 


As years went on, and one place after another 
was wrested from Christendom, monks and priests, 
to find a comfortable resting-place, turned their 
steps to Cyprus. 

Wido de Lusignan had brought no less than three 
hundred knights and two hundred squires in his 
train. These Knight Templars at once erected a 
lodge to their order in Limasol, and twenty years 
afterward their numbers had greatly increased ; 
some were English and German, but the majority 
Italians and Frenchmen. A reign of chivalry now 
arose which drew the eyes of Europe to this small 
and famed island. Wido, the first king of the Lu- 
signan dynasty, only reigned three years, but his 
reign was marked by strenuous efforts to complete 
the subjection of the Cypriotes by the building of 
strong castles and fortresses. Order and justice dis- 
tinguished his sway. 

Amalrick, his brother and successor, was no sooner 
installed than he summoned his followers and an- 
nounced his intention of at once offering his crown 
as a fief to some monarch powerful enough to pro- 


tect him from all enemies. An embassy was sent to 


offer allegiance to the Emperor Henry the Sixth, of 
Germany, who recognized the importance of the step, 
and consented to uphold Amalrick as his vassal. 
The Archbishop of Trami and Brindisi was dis- 
patched to bear a sceptre to the royal vassal, and 
desire that the coronation might take place in the 


38 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


emperor's presence when he visited the Holy Land. 
Amalrick, however, was averse to this delay, and 
his royal master therefore consented that the cere- 
mony should be performed before a deputy. 

In September, 1197, Bishop Hildesheim, the Im- 
perial Chancellor, arrived, and received the oaths of 
the new king. The coronation was then celebrated 
before him in the principal church in Nikosia. Now 
commenced a long career of knightly deeds and 
chivalrous enterprises, led under the banner of the 
King of Cyprus, and many notable feats were per- 
formed by sea ayd land. 

From 1285 to 1373 must be regarded as the most 
glorious period of this career of enterprise, the reigns 
of Henry the Second, Hugo the Fourth, and Peter 
the First being particularly distinguished in the 
annals of the times; Smyrna and Alexandria were 
conquered, and the emirs upon the coast compelled 
to pay tribute. 

At this epoch, Cyprus was the centre of Eastern 
commerce, and merchandise was brought thither 
from Asia and Europe, either for exchange, or to be 
forwarded to other hands. The towns of Limasol, 
Paphos, and Keryneia, were crowded with merchan- 
dise from Constantinople, Beyrout, Damascus, and 
Alexandria, from Venice, Pisa, Genoa, Barcelona, and 
Marseilles. Famagusta was regarded as the princi- 
pal mart of the Mediterranean, and a constant stream 
of pilgrims enlivened all the havens of Cyprus. 


CYPRUS IN THE MIDDLE AGES. 39 


_ With the improved cultivation of the land and 
such developed commerce large sums of money were 
made, and in proportion as the wealth of the island 
increased an equal change in its inhabitants arose, 
and self-indulgence and gross extravagance began 
to sap the strength of the upper classes. The high- 
est prosperity of Cyprus may be said to have con- 
tinued for two hundred years. In 1337 its misfor- 
‘tunes recommenced. The Genoese fell upon the 
island and met with little or no resistance from the 
inhabitants, who were quite unprepared for the at- 
tack. Famagusta became the head-quarters of these 
merciless oppressors, who at once stretched forth an 
iron hand upon the trade of the country. Cyprus 
never rallied from this blow. A feeble attempt 
was made to drive out the invaders, but the Geno- 
ese called in the assistance of the Egyptian Mame- 
lukes, who compelled the Cypriotes to pay them 
tribute. 

Now arose a scene of anarchy and rapid decline; 
every man’s hand was against every man, and pri- 
vate revenge took the place of law and order. The 
interposition of the Venetian rule at this time must 
be regarded as a decided improvement on such a 
state of things. Katherine, the daughter of a lofty 
Venetian patrician, was given in marriage to James, 
the now insignificant prince of the unfortunate 
island, and jointly shared his throne. The marriage 
was celebrated in 1421, and the Venetian Senate 


40 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


adopted the queen as a daughter of St. Mark. In 
1473 James died, and the Venetian Government at 
once assumed charge of his son, This child, how- 
ever, dying, Katherine was persuaded by the Senate 
to abdicate in their favor. Meanwhile Charlotte 
Lusignan, only daughter of John the Third, who 
had married her cousin Louis, son of the Duke of 
Savoy and Anna of Cyprus, went to reside in Rome, 
where she died in 1487, bequeathing her claims to 
Charles, Duke of Savoy, in consequence of which 
the sovereigns of that dynasty assumed the titles of 
kings of Cyprus and Jerusalem. (This interesting 
fact will explain the feeling with which our inter- 
ference with the island has been regarded in Italy.) 
The Venetian rulers at once attempted to restore 
order and foster expirmg commerce, but without 
much success. 

In 1571 the last traces of Cyprian glory disap- 
peared under the blighting shadow of the Turkish 
banner. The people did not surrender without a 
struggle, but they were much enfeebled, and their 
Venetian rulers had already more possessions than 
they could maintain by force of arms. All Europe 
trembled before the successful troops of Suliman 
the Third. In 1566 the Cypriotes were commanded 
to fortify their capital, the city was to be reduced 
to a third of its then size, and surrounded by walls, 
moats, and eleven bastions, all buildings beyond 
these limits to be destroyed. The nobility and 


CYPRUS IN THE MIDDLE AGES. Al 


people willingly obeyed, and consented not only to 
execute the order, but bear all attendant expenses. 
Mansions and villas were torn down to make way 
for the fortresses, Even the Dominican cloister, 
which contained the graves of their kings, was sac- 
rificed, and of the eleven gates that then surrounded 
Nikosia only three were allowed to remain stand- 
ing. 

Selim the Second, Suliman’s successor, had a 
strong taste for Cyprian wine, the companion in his 
earousals being a Portuguese Jew called Miguez 
Nassy. This man had once professed Christianity, 
but had found it convenient to renounce his faith. 
He is said to have incited Selim to put his son on 
the throne of Cyprus. In order to accomplish this 
end Selim appeared before Limasol in 1570, with 
the Turkish fieet. The arsenal in Venice was set 
in flames at this time; this act is supposed to have 
been committed by incendiaries sent thither to 
Nassy for that purpose. The Venetians in Cyprus 
had no force to withstand the Turkish troops, and 
the Cypriotes were too spirit-broken to fight for the 
land that was only cultivated to enrich their merei- 
less taskmasters, 

The Proveditore, Nicolaus Dandolo, decided to 
surrender the whole of the island, with the excep- 
tion of Famagusta and Nikosia. The Turks landed 
without any further hindrance and marched at once _ 
to the capital with 100,000 men, whilst their fleet - 


42 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


kept guard, lest assistance might be sent from 
Europe. For seven weeks the city sustained the 
siege, and the nobility, ably supported by the lower 
orders, bore themselves like brave and desperate 
men. Twice the Turks led an assault, and twice 
were gloriously repulsed, until they were obliged to 
send for a reinforcement of 10,000 men, including 
many sailors, to aid them in the desperate struggle. 
The bold defenders of the capital were at no time 
more than 100,000 strong. 

In the night on the 9th of September began the 
third general storming of the doomed city. The 
whole army threw itself as one man against the 
walls, and before sunrise three bastions were in the 
enemy’s hands; £0,000 men fell at the first shock, 
but their places were soon filled by those who 
pressed behind. The unfortunate women, as soon 
as they saw that all was lost, flung themselves in 
numbers from the roofs of the houses, and many 
daughters, we are told, met their death at the hand 
of their father or mother to save them from a worse 
‘fate. The carnage and work of destruction lasted 
for eight days, and when it ceased, what had once 
been a fair city was a mere open space, covered 
with blackened ruins, with only its still towering 
cathedral dome looking down upon the scene. Two 
thousand Turks remained to keep possession, whilst 
the rest of the army marched on to Famagusta. 

Nikosia was in the hands of the Mussulmans, and 


CYPRUS IN THE MIDDLE AGES. 43 


the last Christian city in the East entirely destroyed. 
Enormous booty, comprising an immense amount of 
jewels, gold cloth, and fine works of art, and nearly 
a thousand of the fairest and noblest maidens, were 
put on board three ships to be sent to Constanti- 
nople as tribute from Cyprus to the Sultan. A 
Greek lady on board, preferring death to the fate 
that awaited her, found her way to the powder 
magazine, which she ignited. The ship at once ex- 
ploded, setting fire to its companion vessels, which. 
were also totally destroyed; only a few sailors 
saved themselves by swimming. Four years later, 
Sultan Selim, having enjoyed the choicest Cyprian 
wine to his heart’s content, happened one day to 
take a fuller cup than usual before entering his 
bath, his foot slipped and his skull was fractured 
on its marble floor. He only survived this accident 
eleven days. 


CHAPTER V. 
‘DRAWING UP OF THE STATUTES. 


WE will now give our readers a brief sketch of 
the position held by the various classes during these 
three centuries. The knights and citizens, the for- 
mer principally French and Italian by birth, and 
the latter Greeks, Romans, Syrians, and Jews, were 
free. The patrician families in the towns took 
rank with the knights, and the household slaves 
were under the protection of the Government. The 
peasantry, on the contrary, were all held in bond- 
age, and may be divided into three classes. The 
first class gave their lord two days’ service in the 
week, paid a poll-tax, and a third of all profits. 
The second class only paid the poll-tax, but were 
compelled to remain upon the land, whilst the tlird 
class (clevOepa) were free to change their master, 
but were compelled to pay the half of their earn- 
ings to the lord under whose protection they pre- 
ferred to live. 

The king held his crown in the character of vas- 
sal to the German Emperor, and the heir-apparent 
was called Prince of Antioch. The chief officials of 
the crown were the Seneschal, Marshal, Chamber- 


DRAWING UP THE STATUTES. 45 


Jain, and Constable; after them came the baronial 
vassals (Jes hommes du royaume), and next in order 
their dependants (les hommes liges). The barons 
were privileged to carry a square banner, with the 
motto “Cour, coin, justice,” to indicate that they 
enjoyed the homage and tribute of their serfs, and 
had power to chastise the latter by right of law. 
The eldest son inherited the fief, and in default of 
male issue, the eldest daughter. Homage had to 
be rendered for feudal tenure, and was performed 
in this wise: The vassal, male and female, knelt 
before the king, who took their hands in his own; 
whilst they declared themselves his true vassals, 
“ready to protect and revenge him to their last 
breath.” To which the king replied: “In God’s 
name and my own I receive your homage.” 

If the vassal was a lady above twelve years old, 
her feudal lord was obliged to give her the choice of 
three knights, one of whom she must marry within 
a given time; should she refuse, her fief was for- 
feited for a year and a day, and she was called upon 
every year to yield until she was sixty years of age. 
Should the feudal chief on the contrary neglect this 
part of his duty, the lady was privileged to demand 
a choice of three knights, and bestow her hand on 
the one she preferred. All the barons appeared in 
stated times at the high court, accompanied by their 
vassals. In these assemblies all kind of weighty 
business was discussed in presence of the king, dis- 


46 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


putes arranged, and sentences of death passed for 
heavy crimes. There was also a lower court for the 
decision of legal suits, One of the decrees is worthy 
of note: “ Whoever shall appear in this court and 
bear false witness, be he the noblest in the land, he 
shall lose his head.” The court was composed of 
the king’s vicomte or deputy, and twelve sworn 
justices chosen from the free citizens. All questions 
of the privileges of the citizens and commercial 
rights, as well as of theft and falsehood, were 
brought before this court. The laws and statutes 
in force were contained in a volume called “The 
Assizes of Jerusalem,” the “Livres des Assises et 
Bons Coutumes,” a splendid memorial of painstak- 
ing wisdom and anxious thought. 

It has been stated that this fine collection of 
statutes was compiled by Godfrey de Bouillon, with 
the assistance of the wisest and noblest of his fol- 
lowers, after the conquest of Jerusalem. This was 
most probably a mere fable. Certain, however, it 
is that a double volume of laws, one for the upper, 
and the other for the lower court, was compiled 
in Jerusalem, inscribed in large letters, and. sealed 
by the king, patriarch, and vicomte. This work 
was inclosed in a chest and deposited in the church 
of the Holy Sepulchre. It was decreed that the 
volume should not betaken from the chest except in 
the presence of those who had signed it, two priests 
belonging to the church, and four magistrates, 


DRAWING UP OF THE STATUTES. 47 


This collection of statutes was also known as the 
“Lettres du Sépulere.” After the loss of Jerusa- 
lem this volume disappeared, but the same statutes 
were enforced in the high court at Akkon or Ptolo- 
mais, and were adopted in Cyprus. From thence 
they were taken to Constantinople in 1204, and to 
the Morea in 1210. 

In the schools of jurisprudence in Nikosia the 
statutes contained in the “Assizes of Jerusalem,” 
were brought to great perfection with the aid of 
many able and leading men in the island; of these 
latter a long list of names has been preserved. The 
founder of this famous school of law, John d’[belin, 
Baron of Beyrout, was called John the Old, to distin- 
guish him from his nephew, who bore the same name. 

This noble, and Philip of Navarre, who boasted 
of having been present at every siege and attack 
of any importance in his time, were the most cele- 
brated of this noteworthy group of public benefac- 
tors. Amongst other names, were those of Ralph 
of Tiberias, Godfrey le Tort, Gerard of Montreal, 
and John of Ibelin, Count of Jaffa and Askalon, 
and nephew of John the Old. The elder Ibelin 
and Philip of Navarre had been leaders in the long 
and bloody strife.in which French chivalry in the 
East had frustrated the plans of the Emperor Fred. 
erick the Second,* who was anxious to combine the 





* Emperor of Germany. 


48 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


political and military strength of Cyprus under his 
own imperial rule. 

All the other knightly law-makers above enumer- 
ated took part in this war. This emperor, who had 
already overcome the unruly nobility of his Italian 
dominions, had attained so high a reputation ‘for 
wisdom and justice during his sojourn in the East, 
that many of the highest in rank and intellect sup- 
ported his claims either openly or secretly. Philip 
of Navarre, who had diligently searched through 
many collections of laws, set himself to obtain all 
possible assistance from the law courts of Nikosia, 
Akkon, and Beyrout, and completed his arduous 
labors by arranging his materials into one grand 
statute book. This valuable work was afterward 
considerably improved and enlarged by John of 
Ibelin. Like the “ Lettres du Sépulcre,” this work 
was sealed up and placed in the cathedral in Niko- 
sia, and might only be opened in the presence of 
the king and four barons. In this volume we find 
the entire code of the Middle Ages, and might take 
to heart many a lesson from the careful wisdom and 
far-seeing acuteness with which its laws were com- 


piled. 


CILAPTER VI. 
SAN CHRISOSTOMO. 


_ Cyprus, the most eastern island of the Mediterra- 
nean, must be regarded as belonging to Western 
Europe, if we are to class it by its architecture, its 
Gothic cathedrals, lordly castles, and ruined abbeys; 
yet its mountain ranges would seem to connect it 
with Syria and its open plains with Egypt. Of all 
-the ruins of the age of chivalry, that of the castle of 
Buffavento, “the defier of storms,” is certainly the 
noblest and most interesting. Never, even in Spain 
or Italy, have I seen a finer combination of rugged 
grandeur and romantic charm than is to be found in 
this extensive ruin. Most ancient castles stand on 
an eminence of some few hundred feet, but the crest 
of Buffavento is reared as high as the Lion Moun- 
tain, a dark rocky pyramid 3,000 feet above the 
- level of the sea. Early on the morning of the 24th 
of April rode forth followed by my dragoman, zap- 
tieh, and other servants, to visit this interesting 
ruin, the foot of the mountain on which it stands 
being about four leagues from Nikosia. My drago- 
man and I carried our guns with us, and as we left 


the town were at once stopped by some soldiers 
3 49 


50 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


who wished to take them from us, it not being 
legal, they told us, for foreigners to carry arms in 
Cyprus. 

After a lengthened parley, and many assurances 
from my men that I was under the protection, and 
a personal friend, of the pacha’s, we were allowed to 
proceed, and went on our way rejoicing. Our road 
now lay through the broad and fruitful plain of 
Messaria: golden corn was waving in the breeze, 
and not a living creature was visible on the vast 
expanse; only the song of the lark was to be heard 
as it rose and fell in the blue sky above us. 

It was still early morning, and the Cypriotes have 
an opinion that it is not safe to visit their fields and 
pastures till later in the day. The silence was so 
intense as to be almost painful. and the lovely land- 
scape did not seem to coincide with the death-like 
quiet that reigned around. 

We passed two small villages, which appeared 
deserted, but for the crowing of a cock which was 
perched on a mud wall. When we reached Manilia, 
we had to ride through the bed of the ancient river 
Pedias, the water of which, it being the end of April, 
was low enough to admit of our crossing in safety. 
As we landed on the other side, we saw, for the 
first time that day, some laborers in the fields. 
These were the four wives of an amply-bearded old 
Turk, who calmly smoked his pipe, keeping his eye 
on his family meanwhile, to see they did not shirk 


“ 


SAN CHRISOSTOMO. : 51 


their work, which consisted of lopping off the ears 
of corn with a small sickle—mere child’s play. As 
we approached, the old man shouted out something 
to his better halves, and one of them, a negress, im- 
mediately threw part of her garment over her face, 
and turned away. With the other three, however, 
curiosity overcame their bashfulness, and their veils 
were only slowly drawn down after we had enjoyed 
a good look at their very ordinary faces. As we 
continued our way, the line of mountains that _bor- 
dered the coast lay before us in an uninterrupted 
line, thirty leagues in length, forming a natural bul- 
wark along the northern portion of the island, and 
terminating in the Carpasian peninsula. This range 
reminded me of the Vosges mountains, but is much 
more varied in form, and is far richer in its produc- 
tions. 

The highest peak of this range is only from 2,000 
to 3,000 feet high, but passing as it does through an 
extensive open plain, the effect of its height is very 
deceptive, the mountains appearing very much higher 
than they actually are. The crests of ‘this range 
display every form of rocky beauty, and its peaks, 
chasms, precipices, and bold bluffs are covered in 
some parts with tints of reddish brown, and in 
others with a purplish blue mist that gives them an 
indescribable charm which I have never seen else- 
where. As we approached these mountains, the 
ground rose gradually, and we perccived the rocks 


52 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


were quite bare, every variety of tint being pro- 
duced by the play of the sunbeams on the rugged 
stones. 

We now drew nigh the monastery of St. Chrisos- 
tomo, and very refreshing was the sight of its walls 
standing embowered in green trees at the base 
of bare and rugged mountains. Olivetrees were 
planted in some of its declivities, and oleanders, 
which had finished flowering, bordering a small riy- 
ulet. Everything around seemed to woo us to re- 
pose; the air was fresh and balmy, and from the 
mountain height we heard from time to time the 
tinkle of the bells of the sheep and goats browsing 
down below. Two old monks stood at the door to 
bid us welcome, and insist upon our dismounting 
and accepting their hospitality. These appeared to 
be the only inhabitants of the halfruined pile. I 
have since learned that the number of monks is 
steadily decreasing in all the monasteries of Cyprus. 
In the cloister garden were three lofty cypresses, 
and a fine palm-tree. Masses of ivy were clinging 
about the branches of the old apple and orange- 
trees. This garden is at the height of 1,300 feet 
above the sea, backed by a wall of rock fully 2,000 
feet high. The eye turned with relief from this 
vast, lofty, and rugged expanse, and the dry parched 
plain beyond, to the soft green of the shady garden, 
and its rippling water. 

The two old men appeared delighted to meet 


SAN CHRISOSTOMO. 53 


with an inhabitant of the outer world, and earn- 
estly pressed me to remain for some days. My time 
was too valuable even for lingering in this delight- 
ful retreat. Our fare consisted only of vegetables. 
Cyprian monks would appear to be always fasting 
—one day they eat turnips and onions, and on the 
next pumpkins and beans. This fashion is none of 
the pleasantest in a country where the monasteries 
are the only houses of entertainment that are always 
open. As soon as my hosts learnt I was a Bavarian, 
they informed me that the celebrated Maria of Mo- 
lino was the foundress of their monastery, and a 
Bavarian by birth. I think the simple-hearted crea- 
tures had a sort of vague idea that she must have 
been an ancestress of my own. Dinner over, [ 
seated myself in a cool corner, but was at once en- 
- treated, with outstretched hands, to take another 
place, as I was still warm after my journey. This is 
always the way in the East. Ifyou are tired and 
heated, you must not drink, you must not sleep, and 
above all, in Heaven’s name! never sit in a draught, 
without you want to have fever. The only thing 
you are permitted to do is to throw a covering over 
you and wait till you are cool, 

These constant precautions are no doubt neces- 
sary in these climates, still they produce an impres- 
sion that danger is always at hand. This monastery 
of St. Chrisostomo, which was, probably, founded 
at a very early date, contains an ancient picture of 


54. CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


Panagia. Great additions have been made to the 
original edifice, including a fine entrance and portal. 
The church is formed by two chapels with cupolas. — 
At the time of my visit the floors of the chapels 
were thickly strewn with branches of myrtle in cele- 
bration of the feast of Easter. It is probable that 
Mary of Molino only beautified this edifice and in- 
creased its revenues. Tradition says that the unfor- 
tunate saint being a leper, was advised by St. Chris- 
ostomo to bathe in the rivulet in the monastery 
garden. She did so, and was healed; her gratitude 
being shown by munificent gifts to the brotherhood. 
Certain it is that two hundred years ago crowds 
of lepers visited this spot, in order to wash in the 
monastery stream to be cured of their fearful dis- 
ease. This pilgrimage is now never undertaken, 
either because the water is not as abundant as in 
days gone by, or because, happily, this hideous 
malady is comparatively rare. During my stay in 
Cyprus I did not see one leper except outside Niko- 
sia. This same Mary of Molino, whose bones lie in 
these mountains, according to another tradition, 
built the castle of Buffavento, choosing this ele- 
vated situation, we may suppose, to remove herself 
entirely from the haunts of men. If she executed 
such an undertaking, she must have enjoyed the 
revenues of a princess. Looking up at this grand 
old pile one is struck by its strength and size, and 
when, on closer survey, one finds that two similar 





AN 
| 


“= 








= = 
SSS SSS SES 





CAPE GRECO.—See Page 297. 








SAN CHRISOSTOMO. 55 


fortresses are situated on the same chain of moun. 
tains, at about four leagues right and left of Buffa- 
vento, called respectively Kantara and St. Hilarion, 
that these castles command the mountain passes 
and the roads to the city of Keryneia, and that this 
town had the best haven on the north side of the 
island, one is naturally led to conclude that these 
fortresses were in fact erected by some enterprising 
conqueror, in order to hold the whole island under 
his control. Buffavento, perched high upon the 
Lion Mountain, looks dower upon its companion for- 
tresses with the air of a defiant spirit gazing down 
upon the country that it formerly kept in check. 
On my inquiring of my hosts if any one ever 
climbed to the castle, they assured me the ascent 
was some thousand feet high, and that they had no 
guide to assist me. Their awe-struck manner whilst 
speaking of such an attempt led me to suppose that 
they fancied the ruins were infested by evil spi- 
rits. They, however, informed me that ten years 
ago two Germans attempted the ascent, and that 
the younger of the two reached the top. This was 
no doubt the traveler Kotschy, an account of whose 
ascent is given by his companion Unger.* Encour- 
aged by this report, I “asc mimes to make the at- 
tempt myself. 





* Unger und Kotschy, ‘Die Inseln Cypern.” Wien, 1865. 


CHAPTER VIL. 
BUFFAVENTO.* 


Our road (with my servants we were a party of 
four) lay now for half a league along the declivity, 
our path appearing and disappearing at frequent in- 
tervals. As we passed along I observed many bee- 
hives. These were formed by earthen pots placed 
one upon another, with a small hole at the side. 
Close against a rocky flight of steps we found a 
small building in ruins. Here, I am told, there was 
formerly a garden, so lovely that it was known as 
“ Paradise.” Buffavento was previously called “the 
Queen’s Castle,” Castello de Regina, from its having 
been a favorite resort of the island queens during 
the hot season. Wecan well imagine that whilst 
they held court above, their knights and squires had 
jovial times in the neighboring monastery of San 
Chrisostomo. When we reached the house called 
“ Paradise,’ [ dismounted and looked around. Cer: 
tainly the spot was one on which the eye loved to 
linger. Formerly the mountain was covered with 





* The defier of storms. 


“VINAUHA AO NIVHO NIVEINQOW FHL JO ‘NOTUVTIH “LS WOU ‘MATA LSVOO HLYMON 








BUFFAVENTO. 57 


trees, which have now disappeared. Below lay rip- 
pling waters and fertile pastures, and in the back- 
ground the beautiful capital of the island. As I 
looked I saw in the distance a shepherd boy, who, 
it occurred to me, might be willing to act as guide in 
our adventurous undertaking. My zaptieh galloped 
after him and brought him to me. The young peas- 
ant seemed to regard the matter as an excellent joke, 
and willingly agreed to conduct us, honestly assur- 
ing us, however, that he had never yet reached the 
summit himself. Our guide at once commenced 
mounting with the agility of a young goat, and I 
followed in his wake, whilst behind came my drago- 
man and zaptieh, groaning and panting, with drops 
of anguish upon their brows. My heart beat with 
delight when, after half an hour’s climbing, we 
reached the mountain’s ridge, and looked down from 
a precipice several thousand feet high, broken in all 
directions by enormous clefts and gullies, whilst be- 
yond lay a broad expanse of blue sea. The coast 
- from here is about a league from the foot of the 
mountain, and every inch of the ground is valuable. 
Gardens, orchards, and meadows extended formerly 
in all directions. Along the coast are small villages, | 
lying, as is very unusual in Cyprus, so near, that I 
could see from the one to the other. In this narrow 
strip of country are still to be found some traces of 
the ancient beauty and fertility of this neglected 

island. This is certainly rightly regarded as the 


58 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


richest district in Cyprus, whilst its fine sea-breezes 
and numerous mountain-streams render it one of 
the healthiest. My gaze lingered long on Keryneia, 
whose elevated fortress formed a most striking ob- 
ject on the line. Directly beneath us, so close that 
I could have dropped a stone upon it, lay Bellapais, 
imbedded in olive-trees, the finest monastic ruin, L 
am told, in Cyprus. Cloisters, refectory, and the 
knight-chamber are still recognizable. The abbot 
was entitled to carry the spurs and dagger of a 
knight, and his monastery was a favorite resort of 
crusaders and pilgrims. As I turned toward the 
interior of the island, I -beheld a broad expanse 
glowing in the sunlight. This, the extensive plain 
of Messaria, occupies nearly half of the island, and 
two centuries ago was one huge highly-cultivated 
field, filled mith, corn, vines, fruit, and vegetables. 
Numerous cotton aid silk-weaving establishments 
also formerly flourished here. Every year this 
once fruitful plain becomes more unfit for cultiva- 
tion, and stones and marshes usurp what was once 
a scene of the highest cultivation. Nothing fills 
the mind of the traveler in Cyprus with sadder 
reflections than the sight of this general ruin and 
rapid decay. 

I now commenced climbing the precipitous moun- 
tain before me, which tower ed aloft in rugged maj- 
esty, rosie its peaks and precipices to ihe right 
hand and the left. My dragoman endeavored to fol- 


BUFFAVENTO. 59 


low me, but sank down in dismay at the task before 
him. Indistinct murmurings reached my ear, and I 
have no doubt that if I could have heard his words, 
they were not prayers for my success, but maledic- 
tions on my adventurous head. I believe he and my 
zaptieh were fully convinced that my ascent was made 
in the hope of finding concealed treasure; for when 
at last they reached the ruin, my stichtest movement 
was jealously watched, and my every act evidently 
-regarded with suspicion. We entered the ancient 
fortress by an arched doorway, which is still'in good 
preservation, and mounted slowly from one ruin to 
another; many of the chambers in these being mere 
excavations in the solid rock, and resembling baker’s 
ovens in appearance. 

In such places as the nature of the rocks would 
permit, hollow basins were formed and channels cut 
to receive the springs that then flowed in all direc- 
tions on the mountain. We came upon several of 
these receptacles, and saw traces of what had evident- 
ly been much more important water-tanks. In the 
fortress itself, comparatively slight walls were inter- 
spersed with rude masses of masonry, and both were 
cemented to their foundations by mortar, literally 
as hard as stone. The ruin appeared to consist of 
six divisions rising one above the other, and all 
connected by the ramparts. Such a fortress could 
never have been reduced as long as its defenders 
had bread and wine enough to support life. Per- 


60 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


haps there are few stranger things than that of a 
ruin situated thus in mid-air. Danger in climbing 
there was none, beyond the risk of slipping, as we 
seized at a piece of old masonry in mounting from 
rock to rock and tower to tower. 

One of the principal towers is still in tolerable 
preservation, and to this I at once ascended, and 
was more than rewarded for the attempt. Before 
me lay on the one side an awful precipice, at the 
foot of which stretched green plains and a broad 
expanse of sea, and on the other side a sunny plain 
extending to the lofty mountains of the western 
part of the island with Mount Troados showing its 
snow-capped head. On one side a wall of rock rose 
towering toward the sky and hid a portion of the 
coast from my view. Observing the summit of this 
rock attentively, I felt convinced that I could dis- 
cern a building on its peak. My servants were 
tired and refused to assist me in any further ex- 
plorations. Formerly, no doubt, this eminence had 
been reached by means of wooden bridges, but no 
trace of them was left, and a sheer and rugged wall 
towered above us and presented the appearance of 
being perfectly inaccessible. In vain I sought for 
anything like a foothold. At last a bright idea 
flashed upon me; I seized our guide by his shoul- 
ders and pointing out the building at the summit 
of the rock, put my arms about a block of stone, 
mounted upon it by this means, and then again 


BUFFAVENTO. 61 


pointed to the summit. The boy laughed and nod- 
ded, and, without a moment’s hesitation, commenced 
scrambling up the face of the rock, pausing as he 
every now and then reached a safe footing, to look 
down upon us, after the manner of the mountain 
goat, whose agility he emulated. My zaptieh gazed 
upon me with a countenance highly expressive of 
the conviction that all chance of his sharing any 
hidden treasure I might find was now over; but I 
have no doubt comforted himself with the hope of 
getting from the boy a full-account of all that was 
done above. I now commenced following my nim- 
ble guide, and, thanks to a steady head, found the 
attempt by no means as dangerous as it had ap- 
peared from below; reaching the summit consider- 
ably sooner than we anticipated. Here I found a 
tower and the remains. of a wall with apertures 
where windows had once been, and chambers exca- 
vated in the rock. The view from this point amply 
repaid me for all my exertions. A long greenish- 
yellow line of coast lay between the sea and the 
mountain, whilst the towering rocks of Asia Minor 
were visible on the horizon. At first they appeared 
like clouds, but gradually I distinctly recognized 
the Caramanian range and the Cilician Mount Tau- 
rus, and could ‘distinguish their various outlines and 
fields of snow. 

The most remarkable feature in this scene, how- 
ever, was the range of mountains on which I stood, 


. 


62 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


and of which the peak of Buffavento, rising some 
3,000 feet above the sea, appeared the highest point. 
Seen from this view the ranges resembled enormous 
furrows, extending along the coast and stretching 
far into the sea. The narrow neck of land, the 
tongue of the island, as the Greeks call it, which 
extends toward the opposite continent, forms the 
Carpasian peninsula. The inhabitants of this part 
of the island are of fairer complexion, and are 
stronger and of more lively disposition than the 
rest of their countrymen; they have also, we are 
told, many customs peculiar to themselves. It is 
supposed this peninsula was formerly colonized by 
a band of German crusaders. In St. Andronika-a 
féte is annually held in honor of a German lady, 
who came over from Syria and settled in this spot, 
where she lived as a recluse, and died in the odor 
of sanctity. Other authorities tell us that many 
traces of ancient Greek are to be met with in the 
dialects spoken by the inhabitants, which are quite 
unknown to the languages spoken in other parts of 
Cyprus. A gentleman who visited this peninsula 
informed me that the people are very inhospitable, 
dirty, and shy of strangers. ‘Their food consists 
principally of barley bread; their clothes are made 
of sackcloth, and their dwellings formed in caves, in 
the rocks, and other equally wretched situations, and 
are without either tables or beds. The north-western 
declivities are covered with fig-trees. Altogether, 


BUFFAVENTO. 63 


the description did not tempt me to make my own 
observations in this but rarely-explored spot. <As 
I descended from my lofty perch I noticed that the 
walls and towers had been blown up with gun- 
powder. This was done by the Venetians, shortly 
after they took possession of the island. In 1489 
they proceeded to destroy all the noble castles and 
fortresses of the interior, in the fear that they might 
be used as strongholds in case of rebellion against 
their rule. These fortresses were, therefore, throw n 
down as dangerous, and saclay to the Venetians 
themselves, whose fine fleet enabled them to land 
men at any part of the island. Some few fortresses, 
however, on the coast, such as Famagusta, were kept 
in tolerable repair. The crown lands were put up 
to the highest bidder, and were, in many instances, 
bought by the lower class of nobles, who in this 
manner became a power in the land, opposed to the 
barons of long descent, who had been the pride of 
Cyprus under the dynasty of Lusignan. These 
latter felt themselves highly injured, but what could 
they do? The Venetian Senate gave them the title 
of allies, and made no attempt to interfere with the 
book of statutes, but left the barons no occupation 
beyond that of hunting and feasting. They, there- 
fore, retired to their castles or abbeys, and com- 
menced leaving the country. The Venetians had 
rendered Cyprus defenseless and taxed her so heav- 
ily that a strong desire arose among the inhabitants 


64 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


for a change of government. Such were the de- 
stroyers of Buffavento; as to who actually built the 
noble fortress in such a commanding situation opin- 
ions greatly differ. 


CHAPTER VIIL 
TURKISH GOVERNORS. 


I map scarcely reached my lodging in Nikosia 
when the pacha came to return my visit, accompan- 
ied by his dragoman and first secretary. He in- 
quired with great interest what I had been doing 
since we met, and seemed much surprised on hear- 
ing that I had reached the summit of Buffavento, he 
having always been given to understand that it was 
quite inaccessible. In the evening I called upon 
him, and we talked far into the night on the history 
of the past. 

My kind friend had traveled far and read deeply, 
and in all points of political history showed himself 
an excellent authority. As we sat chatting I could 
not help contrasting this highly educated gentleman 
with the pachas who formerly inhabited his palaces. 
Only 101 years ago a most curious scene was enacted 
under this very roof. 

In July, 1764, there came to Cyprus as governor, 
a necessitous and avaricious man, named Izil Osman 
Aga. The first decree he issued was to the effect 
that every Christian should pay him 443 piastres (10 
francs); and every Mussulman 22 piastres (about 5 


66 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


francs). This impost was exactly double the usual 
poll-tax required from the subjects by their gover- 
nors. Thé begs, agas, and bishops assembled shook 
their heads and declared the charge to be beyond 
the capacity of the people.  Izil Osman Aga replied 
that the money must be forthcoming, ard sent out 
officials in all directions to make fresh extortions. 
All remonstrances were met by the remark, that if 
the people considered he was acting illegally they 
were at liberty to report him at Constantinople. 
Deputies were, therefore, sent at once to the Bos- 
phorus. Week after week passed but nothing was 
heard of these emissaries. The bishops, after some 
consideration, decided to follow the delegates, but 
were seized and prevented by the governor from 
executing their plan. In the meantime the unfor- 
tunate citizens secretly found a powerful advocate 
at Constantinople, and on October 31st an emissary 
from the Grand Vizier landed in Cyprus, cited the 
governor to appear before him in his palace, at Ni- 
kosia, to receive the commands of his prince. These 
commands were threcfold: he was to return half the 
poll-tax, his other extortions were to be inquired 
into, and his advisers punished. Izil Osman Aga 
affected to apologize, and suggested that it would 
be more worthy the dignitary who had to repri- 
mand him if he were to read his decrees publicly in 
the state-chamber of his residence, before the assem- 
bled body of his accusers. On this suggestion the 


TURKISH GOVERNORS. 67 


Tschokodar* invited begs, agas, bishops, and noble 
Greeks to attend. On the 5th of November these 
assembled, followed by a dense crowd, who filled 
the grand hall, and crowded the courts and stair- 
eases. At least three hundred people were in the 
chamber, and on every countenance commendation 
of the Sultan’s justice was to be read. The Tscho- 
kodar seated himself beside the governor, on the 
divan, which was placed at the upper end of the 
hall, drank his coffee, and after handing his cup to 
an attendant, began his announcement. The first 
sentence was read, and the people nodded their ap- 
proval, when suddenly the entire floor gave way 
directly in front of the divan, and the whole crowd 
fell pell-mell into the space below. Cries and 
shrieks filled the air. Shaken and bruised the 
frightened crowd scrambled to their feet, for the 
fall had not been great, and a few broken legs was 
all the damage done. When the three hundred vie- 
tims of this strange occurrence had recovered them- 
selves, they proceeded to investigate the cause of the 
accident; a very simple explanation was at once 
discovered—all beams and supports below the floor 
of the state-chamber had been sawn away, and were 
ready to fall the moment a cord was pulled. Cries 
of rage end vengeance resounded through the streets, 
and all agreed that the governor had contemplated 





* Envoy. 


68 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


nothing less than the destruction of the whole as- 
sembly; the Tschokodar also felt uneasy, for certain 
sharp pains felt after drinking his coffee led him to 
suppose that it had been poisoned. Under these cir- 
cumstances a protocol was drawn up by the Tscho- 
kodar, mollahs,* kadis, and other citizens of rank, 
containing a statement coneerning the accident in 
the state-chamber, requiring the governor to answer 
for it to them. Their messenger was received with 
mockery and insult; a second and a third delegate 
were sent, but with the same result. The mollahs 
pronounced the governor an offender against the law 
and the Sultan. 

Scarcely was this sentence declared than the 
populace rushed to the palace. The governor, how- 
ever, had foreseen this. All the entrances were 
closed and soldiers with guns in their hands placed 
at the open windows, who shot down any men who 
ventured to approach as coolly as if they had been 
cocks and hens. Enraged beyond endurance the 
people now rushed on, and a fight ensued which 
raged for two hours. At last, bundles of straw and 
brushwood were placed against the grand entrance 
and ignited. In a very short time the door gave 
way and the people crowded in, killing all they 
found, amongst them the governor himself. Nine- 
teen of his attendants fell on this occasion and the 





* Mussulman priests. 











TURKISH GOVERNORS. 69 


rest found safety in flight; the treasury was rifled 
and everything of value secured. This done the 
crowd quietly returned home. In three hours’ time 
_ the town looked just as usual, and the Grecian feast 
of St. Demetrius was carried on next day as if 
nothing had occurred. Five days later the Tscho- 
kodar returned to Constantinople, leaving perfect 
order and discipline behind him. 

So matters stood till the following year, when a 
new governor, Hafiz Mahommed Effendi, landed; a 
shrewd and prudent man, who speedily won the 
confidence of his people. Shortly after his arrival 
some of those around him, wishing to curry favor, 
laid before him a list of all those who had attacked 
the palace, and tried to convince him that these 
should not go unpunished, if only for the sake of his 
own position and dignity. After long consideration 
the governor at last decided to issue an edict, an- 
_ nouncing that he had been sent to Cyprus for the 
preservation of order, and that any attempt to dis- 
turb the same would be punished by the loss of the 
offenders’ heads, and that in consideration of past 
events he must demand a poll-tax of fourteen pias- 
tres from all Turks and Greeks, old men, women, 
and children being excepted. After payment of 
this fine all was to be forgotten and forgiven. 

The Greeks were delighted to be let off so easily, 
but the Turks laid their heads together and asked 
each other by what right the new governor inter- 


é 


70 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


fered with what had occurred before his time. Izil 
Osman Aga had been declared an offender against 
the law and the Sultan, and in executing him they 
had only acted as protectors of law and justice, 
They therefore replied to the demand that they had 
only acted as faithful servants of the Sultan in re- 
venging themselves upon his enemies, whilst the 
governor on his side responded that his dignity 
would not permit of his withdrawing the edict. 

On this some hundreds of the malcontents assem- 
bled in the village of Kytherea and took possession 
of the mill at which corn was ground daily for all 
the inhabitants of Nikosia. They also cut off the 
water supply to the city. The greatest consterna- 
tion prevailed, and the prudent governor thought it 
best to send a deputy to Kytherea to offer to with- 
draw the fine. This wise act was fully appreciated 
by the people, and order and peace were once more 
restored. ‘The governor, however, felt deeply the 
contempt shown for his authority, and at once set 
himself seriously to bring some of the higher officials 
to his way of thinking. He laid in a good store of 
weapons and powder, and then considering himself 
strong enough to maintain his authority, again 
isened the edict, 

The men of the city were less inclined than 
before to submit. On this occasion they chose as 
their rallying point the famous fortress on the 
coast, called Keryneia, five leagues north of Nikosia. 


TURKISH GOVERNORS. 71 


This castle was inhabited by a rich and respected 
noble named Halil Aga, who was as ambitious as 
he was resolute. His castle was soon bristling with 
arms, and occupied by 2,600 men, who at once an- 
nounced to the governor that they proposed to do 
battle with him, to decide the question of the four- 
teen piastres. Some days later they again cut off 
the mill at Kytherea from the use of the city, and 
appeared before the walls of the capital. Hafiz 
Mahommed Effendi thought it best to strike a de- 
cisive blow without further delay. He therefore 
fell upon the attacking party, but met with a severe 
and bloody repulse. The rebels followed him up 
and endeavored to storm the town. The walls and 
_ defences, however, proved too strong for them, and 
Halil Aga therefore decided to blockade the city 
and summon the whole island to his assistance. 
People flocked to him from all parts, and such as 
refused to join him were treated as enemies of their 
country, and their houses burnt about their ears. 
Whole villages were set in flames. The unfortunate 
governor of Nikosia was at his wit’s end, for the 
citizens were suffering severely from famine. For 
the second time he was compelled to announce that 
he, would withdraw his claim. The desired effect 
was at once obtained, and the besiegers laid down 
their arms, but not before the ringleaders had bound 
themselves by an oath to stand by each other in 
case of future necessity. 


72 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


Whilst these events were taking place in Cyprus, 
the three archbishops of Nikosia, Baffo, and Kery- 
neia, liad privately sailed for Constantinople, laid 
their complaint before the Porte, and had so far 
succeeded in their mission that a new governor was 
to be sent out; Soliman Effendi, a very worthy old 
man, was appointed for this purpose, and he, they 
hoped, would prove a mere puppet in their hands. 
Acting under these advisers the new governor 
landed at Keryneia, and sent Halil Aga some mag- 
nificent presents, highly complimenting him on his 
zeal for the public good. On this, Halil Aga 
allowed Soliman Effendi to land and proceed at 
once, without any opposition, to the capital. A 
serious complication now arose with the old and 
new governors of Cyprus, and the former declared 
he would not resign until he had quelled the insur- 
rection. The weak but good-natured Soliman at 
once agreed to this view of the case, and put him- 
self completely under the advice and influence of 
the man he ought to have supplanted. He sent 
messenger after messenger to Halil Aga with the 
most dazzling proposals, and assured him that if he 
would come to Nikosia he should be put in com- 
mand of the cavalry. Halil Aga was, however, too 
wise to put his neck in such a noose. Further steps 
were taken on either side; the insurgents gradually 
returned to their homes, and order was again re- 
stored. This happy state of things continued until 


TURKISH GOVERNORS. 73 


early in the following year, when the two gover- 
nors, who could not let the question of the fourteen 
piastres rest in peace, again issued an edict com- 
manding the immediate payment of the sum in ques- 
tion. Hafiz Mahommed had now a strong party, 
and many in the city would willingly have paid the 
fine for the murdered governor’s death sooner than 
aid and abet in fresh disturbances. The mass of 
the inhabitants, on the contrary, declared that the 
carrying out of the edict must be prevented, even 
at the risk of fresh bloodshed, and made the matter 
a question of their civil and religious liberty. The 
goveruor had his proper sources of revenue, and the 
Sultan his import duties and tithes, but such a 
thing as a fine for the death of a murdered person, 
could be claimed only by the relatives of the vie- 
tim, and the demand, they maintained, was in direct 
opposition to the Koran. In these terms the mol- 
lahs had condemned the action of the governors, 
and the janissaries, as the ancient defenders of free- 
dom and religion, had confirmed their judgment. An 
open revolt at once took place, the citizens flew to 
arms and hurried to Keryneia, and in a very short 
space of time Halil Aga had 5,000 men mustered 
under his banner. In order to obtain possession 
of two out of the principal fortresses, Halil Aga 
suddenly appeared before Famagusta, the famous 
stronghold on the opposite side of the island, but 
was peas repulsed. He now encamped before 


74 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


Nikosia, and put the capital in a state of siege, 
announcing that he demanded, himself, to be ap- 
pointed governor of the island. Neither Mahom- 
med nor Soliman would agree to the proposition, 
and Halil Aga then informed them that he had_pri- 
vate commands from the Sultan, and requested they 
would visit him in his camp and hear them read. 
This wily message met with no response beyond 
such as came from the mouths of the defenders’ 
guns. Meanwhile disturbances arose all over the 
island. After many attempts to storm the capital, 
and many sallies on the besieging army from within 
her fortifications, Halil Aga also obtained some 
cannon, and at once commenced a merciless attempt 
to force a passage through the walls. Distress and 
alarm filled the unfortunate town. At the earnest 
petition of such of the inhabitants as desired peace 
the English consul came over from Larnaka and 
endeavored to mediate between the opposing par- 
ties. Halil Aga demanded on his part that a sealed 
deed should be given him, offering free pardon to 
all who had fought under his banner, and that all 
the janissaries and officials who had joined his flag 
should be reinstated in all their former posts. See- 
ondly, that the people of Nikosia should accept 
him as their governor if he could obtain the appro- 
val of the Sultan. The besieged governors would 
only give way as to the free pardon, so the fighting 
continued as before. Meanwhile news of what was 


TURKISH GOVERNORS. 75 


going on in the island had reached the adjacent 
lands and seas, and foreign powers, who had suffi- 
cient troops to carry out the undertaking, began to 
speculate as to the advisability of taking advantage 
of such a tempting opportunity to appropriate the 
island. The Porte could be readily appeased, it 
was supposed, by offers of gold, and plentiful doses 
of flattery, and would not refuse to confirm any new 
government in its acts. Ibrahim Bey was the first 
who arrived in Cyprus, having crossed over with 
his men in two small galliots, but finding his forces 
too weak to attempt anything, he at once retired. 
Directly after this, another corsair, Dschassar Bey, 
appeared upon the scene with a frigate and three 
small munition vessels. Having speedily landed 
his men, he took possession of the castle, near the 
salt works of Larnaka. Halil Aga having heard of 
this new arrival marched to remonstrate with him, 
and his overpowering force proved such an excel- 
lent argument that this invader also hurried from 
the field. The third adventurer was Giergil Oghlu, 
the governor of Karamania, situated on the oppo- 
site coast to Cyprus. On the 27th of June he ap- 
peared before Famagusta with a few hundred men, 
who overran the adjacent country, plundering and 
destroying with the utmost brutality. Before the 
very gates of the fortress, they are said to have 
speared seven Greeks and beheaded two Turks. 
Happily on this same day Kyor Mahommed Pacha, 


76 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


of two tails, landed at Larnaka with 2,000 foot soldiers 
and 500 cavalry, bearing orders from the Sultan to 
restore peace. He requested the consuls of the var- 
ious European Powers to meet him, and seems to 
have much astonished them all by permitting them 
to sit in his presence during the discussion that en- 
sued. Having heard a full account of the state of 
things, his first step was to command Giergil Oghlu 
to place himself and his troops under his standard. 
He then requested the English consul to write a 
letter to the camp around Nikoaih: stating that the 
pacha commanded all to retire guiatly to their homes, 
promising to show justice to all, and announcing 
that his commission was only intended to restore 
peace. On the 1st of July, shortly after the dis. 
patch of this letter, the pacha marched toward 
Nikosia with all his men, and accompanied by the 
Karamanian troops. 

Terror and consternation went before him, for 
report had much exaggerated the number se his 
followers. Deserters streamed out of Halil Aga’s 
camp until only about two hundred faithful follow- 
ers were left; with these he retired to his fortress of 
Keryneia. This castle, which is situated on the coast, 
is backed by steep rocks, with the sea in front, whilst 
the country round is so plentifully supplied with 
flowers and fruit as to form a veritable paradise. 

Ample means of entertainment for the garrison 
were provided, and they thought themselves pre- 


TURKISH GOVERNORS. 77 


pared to make an obstinate resistance. Should the 
worst come to the worst they trusted to save them- 
selves readily by sea, as the fortress had an entrance 
which opened directly on the shore, and some small 
ships were anchored in the haven. Message after 
message was sent from the pacha, commanding 
Halil Aga to surrender in the name of the Sultan, 
to which he replied that he was defending the cas- 
tle for that potentate. On the 28th of July, Kyor 
Mahommed encamped about Keryneia, and at once 
commenced filling up the moats and making breaches 
in the walls for the purpose of mounting the latter 
with their scaling ladders. The besieged knew how 
to use their guns, and behaved with so much spirit, 
- that every attack was repulsed. 

The troop ships of the pacha now arrived and 
opened fire on the fine old fortress, trying it most 
severely. Behind them were seen Dschassar Bey, 
with his frigate and two other ships; and last, though 
not least, Ibrahim Bey and his three little galliots. 
These new arrivals completely closed Keryneia on 
the sea side, and rendered escape that way utterly 
hopeless. The efforts of the besieged were now 
prompted by despair. The pacha was becoming” 
uneasy at the long delay, fearing daily that there 
would be a general rising against him in the island, 
and had recourse to base cunning to overcome his 
brave antagonist. | 


The captain of the line ships, Meleky Bey, was 


78 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


desired to demand a secret interview with Halil 
Aga. This meeting took place on the night of the 
14th of August, on which occasion Meleky forcibly 
urged that it would be advisable for Halil Aga to 
come on board the ships of the line, and trust to 
his friendly intervention for favorable terms. There 
could be no question of safety, for was it not well 
known that Turkish sailors would be hewn in pieces 
before they would betray a man who had trusted 
to their honor? Meleky spoke with so much appar- 
ent frankness that Halil Aga fell into the trap, and 
before night he had taken shelter on one of the 
ships. Next day he was handed over to the pacha, 
who, however, received him kindly, and offered him 
a tent for his own use. 

As soon as this reception was known in the castle, 
the garrison surrendered at discretion. The position 
was at once changed. All the women were allowed 
to retire with bag and baggage, but the men were 
declared prisoners. Halil Aga’s officers were thrown 
into chains, and he himself closely watched. 

On the 19th instant, the unfortunate captive was 
brought before the pacha, who received him kindly, 
and requested to hear from his own lips who had 
been implicated in the rising. This done, the pacha 
changed his tone, and angrily demanded whether 
Halil Aga supposed that the Sultan intended that 
his fortresses should be used for seditious purposes ? 
As he spoke, some of his minions entered, and the 


TURKISH GOVERNORS. 79 


unhappy victim of his treachery was strangled on 
the spot. 

On the 21st of August, Giergil Oghlu and his 
wild crew were desired to set sail, without having 
been allowed to land. The pacha retired with his 
prisoners, and his myrmidons at once spread over the 
island. All those who had been implicated in the 
revolts, and were still free, quitted Cyprus. Many, 
however, were captured before they reached the 
coast. Investigations into the recent events were 
set on foot in Nikosia, and at its conclusion two 
hundred of the accused were decapitated. Their 
heads, with that of Halil Aga, were salted down, 
and sent to Constantinople, with a full account of 
~ what had occurred in this island. 

Kyor Mahommed was made a pacha of three tails 
and governor of the pachalik of Koniah. Hafiz 
Mahommed had been previously desired to leave 
Cyprus, and Soliman Effendi reigned in his stead. 
So ended a sad page in the history of this unlucky 
island, which during these three years of insurrection, 
had lost the flower of her Turkish population, and 
seen her castles and buildings destroyed. 

- These ruins were never rebuilt; successive misfor- 
tunes and the insecurity of the future prospects of 
the island seem to have quenched all spirit of emu- 
lation and progress in the much-tried population, 
and Cyprus appeared to have finally lost her proud 
place in the world’s history. 


CHAPTER IX. 
THE PLAINS OF CYPRUS. 


_ Earty.on the morning of the 25th of April, I 
bade adieu to Nikosia, the capital of Cyprus—a 
fair city even in these days of her ruin and decay. 
As I look back at her, as she appeared to me, I 
always find myself comparing the image with that 
of a stately and beautiful dame over whose faded 
charms, faint and occasional flashes of former loveli- 
ness are now and then visible. The day was glorious 
as I left the dark city gates and stepped forth upon 
the bright and boundless plains; corn-fields extended 
to the feet of the long chain of mountains, which 
glowed with deepest purple in the foreground, and 
towered black and shadowy in the far distance; 
whilst straight before me, from behind the dark, 
cloud-like masses, peeped the snowy head of Mount 
Olympus. .This name “Olymp,” which is conferred 
in almost every Grecian island upon the noblest 
snow-capped mountains, has the same signification 
as our word “Alp.” 

I had determined to ascend the Cypri lan Olympus, 
and to this.end had made many inquiries concerning 


it. Had I desired information. about.some unknown 
80 ” 


| | Ni 















































THE CHAIN OF MOUNT OLYMPUS,—See Page 80. 





THE PLAINS OF CYPRUS. .§ - 81 


and unexplored region, the few particulars I gained . 
could not have been more vague and trifling. I 
could meet with no one who had ever made the 
ascent of Troados, as the mountain is now called, or 
even learn whether the monastery of Troaditissa 
was situated on its summit.or lay below in one of 
the neighboring valleys. The Cypriotes love their 
ease too well to undertake these kind of excursions, 
and only ridicule what they consider such unneces: 
sary exertion on the part of the traveler. Our 
party had not ridden more than a mile and a half 
before cultivation ceased, and on all sides nothing 
was visible but a dry and barren waste. On this oc- 
casion I traveled over about fifteen leagues of coun- 
try, and did not see more than two or three small 
‘villages in the whole distance. One of these was 
built upon a stream which certainly must contain 
water enough to irrigate the neighboring fields and 
gardens during the winter and spring, yet all the 
dwellings-were in ruins, and no plow had turned the 
pastures for certainly ten or twenty years. | 

With his usual kindness, my good. friend the 
pacha had sent a zaptieh who was to accompany me 
throughout the island and give an. account to his 
master on his return. This was a great convenience 
to me, as it is usual to exchange the zaptieh at every 
‘successive district. The country was very plenti- 
fully stocked with game; quails, partridges, and 
Jarks rose in large quantities into the air, disturbed 


82 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


by our approach. In the presence of this, my body 
guard, the pacha had explicitly stated that I was at 
liberty to shoot where and as I pleased, so my dra- 
goman, who had some experience of sport in his 
leisure hours, and I, were able to obtain some good 
shooting on our journey. Zaptieh Hussein, my man, 
was a fine fellow in his way, prompt and quick at 
expedient. Like most other Turkish soldiers, his 
mind was rude and shallow, but his frame strong, 
muscular, and enduring. Those who understand 
the management of these men will find them faith- 
ful and contented servants. In either mounting or 
dismounting, when going after these birds, I had 
managed to lose my tobacco pouch; this pouch and 
contents were a little memento of my visit to Cay- 
alla, on the Roumelian coast, where the finest Turk- 
ish tobacco grows. In the East, where the slave 
smokes equally with the noble, from morning till 
night, to lose one’s tobacco may be regarded as a 
real misfortune. My dragoman pulled a long face 
when he heard what had happened, and my horse- 
boy informed me that he had only a little very bad 
tobacco to offer me. Hussein did not say a word, 
but put spurs to his horse and was out of sight in a 
moment. | 

We rode on slowly for an hour before my zaptieh 
overtook us, and when he reached me, he drew my 
pouch from his breast pocket. When a pacha or a 
kaimakan has half a dozen such men on his staff he 


THE PLAINS OF CYPRUS. 83 


will not fail to be obeyed in his district. A zaptieh 
will ride ten leagues to secure an offender, seize him 
in the midst of his own friends, fasten his prisoner to 
his saddle-girths, and bring him, dead or alive, to his 
master. These are the men whose obstinate and 
manly spirit has so prolonged the agonies of their 
country in its struggles with its enemies. Call it 
fanaticism if you will, but one can but admire the 
courage and devotion that will sacrifice life and 
property, if their rulers or religion are in danger. 
On such emergencies the scanty earnings of a life 
are drawn from the chest, where they have been 
hoarded for years, to assist in procuring what is neces- 
sary for the strife. Sabres and guns are girded on, 
and for weeks these devoted servants of the Prophet 
will fight without pay and deprived of every com- 
fort, under the very guns of the enemy’s batteries. 
We now rode directly for the foot of the moun- 
tain over ground covered with short grass, stunted 
shrub, and dwarf palms. Now and again we passed 
spots covered with a variety of red, yellow, and blue 
flowers, beside many tulips and bulbous plants. It 
was a glorious ride and the air delightful, so clear 
that the eye was never weary of endeavoring to 
penetrate farther and farther into the horizon. 
About 11 o'clock, having never passed an inhab- 
ited dwelling, we reached a village that lies about 
five miles from Nikosia, called Akazi. I can only 
give its Grecian name, as, though I found the place 


84 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


on the map the pacha had given me, none of our 
party could read its Turkish designation. We 
breakfasted in this village, and after. a two hours’ 
rest proceeded on our way. 

It being Easter every one was taking advantage 
of the féte to lounge or lie about in the open air, 
while some stood in groups round the church where 
the village priest was celebrating mass. This féte 
lasts four days, but the people generally manage to 
make a whole week's holiday of it, and give up 
themselves to hearing masses and perfect idleness. 
The population of this village looked strong and 
healthy, which is the more surprising when one con- 
siders the amount of fasting imposed upon them. 
Not only are there two fast days in every ordinary. 
week, but on all sorts of extraordinary occasions. I 
am told that the number of these fast days amounts: 
to no less than a hundred and fifty in the course of 
the year! I must here remark that this isno child’s 
playing at abstinence—only bread and green stuff 
are permitted, not even milk or oil may be partaken 
of. Wonderful indeed is it to our minds to observe 
on how few meals a Greek family can subsist. Even 
in the houses of tolerably well-to-do people they 
never cook more than twice or three times in the 
week, and fish or flesh are rare delicacies. This fact 
will partly explain the slight degree in which the 
island is now cultivated, Fruits in great variety 
and vegetables of many kinds grow wild and form 


. THE PLAINS OF CYPRUS. 85 


staple articles of food. It is no uncommon thing to 
see the Cypriotes gathering their repast as they go 
along and eating it without further ceremony. 

When we once more started on our way, the sun’s 
rays beat down upon us with terrible power, and as 
I panted beneath it, I could not but compare it with 
that monster of the African desert, the yellow lion, 
prowling about with ravening swe “seeking whom 
it may devour.” 

I had heard much of the unbearable heat of the 
island during the summer season, when the air is 
heavy and damp, when foliage and grass are with- 
ered up, a drop of water scarcely to be obtained, 
and man and beast panting for a breath of fresh air. 
We felt the sun oppressive, but seeing the country 
as we did in its pride of verdure and covered with 
flowers, one could scarcely picture the spot under so 
different an aspect. 


CHAPTER X. 
EVRYCHU. 


Towarp evening we came in sight of Mount 
Olympus. Water, as clear as crystal, was trickling 
down the lower rocks in all directions, and a de- 
licious breeze blowing from Olympus cooled our 
weary frames and raised our drooping spirits as we 
lay, surveying the scene around us, upon the banks 
of a rivulet, completely surrounded by oleander 
bushes. Thus refreshed, we continued our way 
along the course of the stream under the shade of 
numerous trees which became more luxuriant and 
various as we advanced. 

This delightfully wooded valley contrasted well 
with the bare naked rocks above. All day I had 
seen the snowy crest of Mount Olympus towering 
above its dark companions, and had imagined that 
it could only boast a snowy cap. Now, as it rose 
before us, clearly distinguishable from the rocks 
around, I found that the snowy vail extended far 
down its sides and slopes. <All true Alpine features 
are entirely wanting, and to me there seemed some- 
thing harsh and unattractive in the bare and un- 


broken character of its naked rock, 
86 


EVRYCHU. 87 


Whilst it was still light we reached Evrychu. 
This, the prettiest and most populous village in 
Cyprus, is situated in a lovely valley surrounded by 
fruitful and luxuriant pastures, whilst above it 
tower majestic groups of picturesque mountains. 
Evrychu lies 1,700 feet above the level of the sea, 
and contains seven hundred inhabitants; amongst 
these, however, not more than a hundred families 
pay taxes. This luxuriant valley might readily pro- 
duce enough to support ten times the number of 
people now dwelling there. When we arrived, 
evening service was being performed in the church, 
and it is no exaggeration to say that the whole of 
the inhabitants were around its walls, from the 
youngest child to the most infirm of its old men and 
women. ‘This open-air gathering had a fine and 
solemn effect. The people themselves appeared to 
me to differ in many respects from the short, stout 
inhabitants of the coast and plains, who look as 
though heat and perspiration had baked the dust 
and dirt into their skins. The people of Eyrychu, 
on the contrary, are well grown and finely made, 
and their complexions fresh and blooming. Amongst 
the women and girls I noticed a great number of 
pretty faces. There can be no doubt as to the fact 
that these people are descended from the old Greek 
settlers, whilst those in the open country and on the 
sea coast are descended from a mixed race of Ital- 
ians, Syrians, and Negroes. In the more frequented 


88 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


parts of the island, traces of successive races were 
rapidly swept away, whilst here in the mountain 
valley the people have for generations lived com- 
paratively unchanged and undisturbed. My opinions 
concerning the descent of the people were strength- 
ened by further observations, and all along the 
mountain range I noticed a strong likeness to the 
Greeks of several islands in the Archipelago; the 
type, however, not being quite so pure (no doubt 
ewing to intermarriage), nor faces and figures quite 
so beautiful and slender. As for manners, well 
would it be if our awkward English race could imi- 
tate the grace with which these villagers performed 
the most ordinary act. When we arrived amongst 
them the appearance of such an unexpected party. 
might have been supposed to have created quite a 
Sensation. Nothing of the kind occurred; the men 
and women were grouped about, and evidently eyed” 
us with much curiosity, but no movement betrayed 
their feelings or ruffled their respectful politeness. 
The girls stood at some distance and observed us as 
closely, but with graceful dignity. Such natural 
propriety of behavior is very striking in this popu- 
lation, and seems to leave the impression on the 
mind of their having, as we say, “seen better days.” 
Their peculiar customs are numerous and interest- 
ing; no sooner is a guest lodged than a woman or 
girl appears s and offers him an apple, with the most 
winning grace; this is intended as a hospitable wel- 


- -EVRYCHU. 89 


eome. If you are given any kind of solid food a 
napkin is placed over your knees. A glass of water 
is presented to you on the open palm of the hand, 
and is always accompanied by a good wish, the giver 
remaining standing until the glass is returned, when 
another wish is expressed that the water may do 
you good. When you are ahout to leave, women 
and girls appear and throw the leaves of the olive 
and other fragrant plants into the fire. The parting 
guest is expected to go through the form of smelling 
these leaves, in- token of his bearing away in his 
mind a sweet impression of the kindness he has 
received. 

Who could compare our parting act of raising the 
hat with the picturesque obeisance of these villa- 
gers, as they laid their hands upon their hearts and 
gracefully inclined their bodies toward us as they 
wished us farewell 2 
- Whilst I reposed, my indefatigable zaptieh had 
been exploring the village and inquiring for its 
principal inhabitant, for the purpose of securing 
lodgings for me at his house. This man, who proved 
to be a well-to-do peasant, soon appeared, acecompa- 
nied by his sons-in-law, and offered to escort me to 
his home. The domicile consisted of three small, 
one-storied buildings lying close together and stand- 
ing in a small court surrounded by stabling and 
sheds. The principal attractions of this dwelling 
were its strong walls and water-tight roof, recom- 


90 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


mendations possessed by very few other houses in 
the village, these latter being generally mere flat- 
roofed huts, with walls formed of clay and interlaced 
branches. The accommodation for the cattle is, of 
course, equally rude and simple; everything about 
these dwellings is poor except in one respect, name- 
ly, their house linen. The excellent order in which 
this is always kept, speaks highly for the industry, 
housewifery, and skill of the women. 

The landlord’s four daughters offered me a hearty 
reception, and made it evident by their sparkling 
eyes and their delightful manner, that they felt all 
the pleasure and dignity of hospitality. Everything 
the place could offer was at our disposal, and they 
seemed as if they could not do enough to make us 
comfortable. Various members of the family ap- 
peared in turn, in order to be introduced to me, and 
all, even the children, conducted themselves with 
the most unembarrassed courtesy. ‘The sons-in-law 
of my host and a young relative, who was the vil: 
lage schoolmaster, sat down to table with the head 
of the family and myself, whilst the daughters 
waited upon us. Luckily for me I had chanced 
upon them just at Easter-time, so we were allowed 
to partake of meat. The table was ornamented 
with a great variety of colored Easter eggs, and 
after dinner the “ egg-touching” ceremony began, 
each person offering the small end of an egg to his 
neighbor, saying as he did so, “ Christ is risen.” 


EVRYCHU. 91 


This appeared to be a favorite amusement with the 
children, and many eggs were broken by their little 
hands. I was delighted with the charming manner 
in which the youngsters grouped together, and, after 
the repast was over, sang us an Easter hymn. 

I cannot refrain from giving my readers the very 
Grecian names of my kind entertainers. My host 
was called Gavril, one of the sons-in-law was Kleo- 
bulas Christophagu Gavrilidis, and the other Socra- 
tes. The schoolmaster was Michel Ivanidas, and 
the four daughters respectively Minerva, Terpsich- 
ore, Penelope, and Zoisa; another maiden present 
was called Evanthia. How can we account for such 
classic names, if lam not correct in asserting that 
these people are the direct descendants of the early 
Greeks ? 

Next morning I was astir at about four o’clock, 
and walked out into the fresh and balmy air. A 
gentle wind was wandering about the mountains, stir- 
ring the waving foliage of the trees,andrippling the 
bright water of the streams as it passed. Thrushes 
and nightingales poured forth their sweetest melody 
on all sides, and a delicious perfume was wafted 
around from innumerable flowers, and the hedges of 
myrtle by which the fields are surrounded. Only 
one thing was wanting to the scene—where was 
the rustling sound of trees on the declivities of the 
mountains? As I looked up, the first glance told 
me the soil was in the highest degree fitted for their 


‘92, CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


culture, and yet the eye could only discover a yari- 
ety of shrubs and mountain plants abode with 
a few blackened stumps. 

When I returned to the village I found the whole 
population again at their devotions. In the Eastern 
Church the worshippers do not attend to hear ser- 
mons and pour out their own prayers and thanks- 
givings; it would appear as though even the most 
earnest worshippers considered that their mere pres- 
ence and genuflections during the masses said and 
sung by their priest. was all that could be required 
of them. For more than a thousand years no 
change whatever has taken place in the creed and 
liturgy of the Christian Church in the East, and if 
may, therefore, be regarded as more closely allied 
to the Penative Church than is the Catholic Church 
of Rome. With the exception of its bishops, Cyprus 
has no active and learned priesthood, and nothing 

can be simpler than’the life and theology of its 
country curés. Books they have none, and for their 
livelihood have to depend upon the bounty of their 
flocks. Under British rule new life will be given to 
the Christian Church in Cyprus, and to the educa- 
tion and training of her people. 

When we left Evrychu, our host and his sons- 
in-law, as is the custom here, accompanied us to 
the extremity of the village, whee they took their 
leave, 


CHAPTER XI. 
MOUNT OLYMPUS. 


We now pursued our way toward Olympus. At 
every stage fresh beauties met our view, and every 
object was smiling with the first fresh loveliness of 
spring. Oaks, plantains, olives, vines, myrtles, and 
Jaurels grew in rich profusion on the banks of the 
stream along which the road lay; whilst here and 
there we caught glimpses of sloping banks entirely 
covered with white lilies. Before us towered steeps 
and broken rocks, upon which a few scattered pines 
were to be seen, 

Gradually we began to ascend a mountain pass, 
which was too rough and dangerous to admit of 
our riding. My dragoman therefore took the three 
horses, and, fastening them together, led them along. 
We had not gone far before we lost our way. My 
zaptieh at once began to reconnoitre, whilst the 
dragoman gave us a good specimen of his Italian 
origin and French manners by uttering cries of grief 
and distress, coupled with prayers for his wife and 
family, and fervent maledictions on his own folly in 
accompanying me; his misery was so intense that I 


could scarcely nea from laughing in his face. 
93 


94 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


Had we not been obliged to help our horses along, 
we should not have had any serious difficulty, as our 
way, though rugged and steep, was not more so than 
on many other mountain passes I had successfully 
climbed. A few strenuous efforts and a little cau- 
tious steering at last brought us to a safe footing, 
and we could look aloft at the fine scene that tow- 
ered above us. 

An hour’s riding brought us within view of a 
broad extent of glacier, whilst on one side the brown 
and purple mountain extended to the sea, beyond 
which again the Cilician range of Taurus was dis- 
tinetly visible, looking like snow-covered bastions 
extending along the opposite shore. The whole 
scene was one never to be forgotten, and this ascent 
of Mount Olympus will ever be regarded by me as 
one of the most richly-rewarded experiences of my 
travels. 

I had been led to imagine that this famous moun- 
tain was still thickly wooded, but such is not the 
case; only here and there we came upon a group of 
trees standing far apart. The sides and peaks of 
the mountain exhibited a considerable growth of 
stunted shrubs, with an occasional fir-tree or broken 
stump. Flowers there were in abundance, and 
whole tracts were covered with hyacinths and nar- 
cissus. Not a man or a beast was to be seen either 
on the mountain or in the valleys beneath ; it would 
have been easy to believe that some destroying — 


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MOUNT OLYMPUS. 95 


army had devastated the mountain, and then passed 
on its victorious path, leaving the spot to barrenness 
and desolation. 

As we approached the summit of this famous 
mountain, 1 observed that the trees became more 
numerous. On our right the path led directly to 
the cloister of Troaditissa, and on our left lay a val- 
ley extending to the foot of Olympus. Hussein in- 
formed me that the cloister was about two leagues 
distant, whilst, if 1 were desirous of reaching the 
crest, we might do it in about three hours’ time. 
My «dlragoman no sooner heard this latter suggestion, 
than he poured forth a volley of assurances as to 
the folly of the attempt, and drew a vivid picture of 
the various dangers that would beset our path, wind- 
ing up by informing me that many travelers had 
already lost their lives in attempting this ascent. 
Night would be coming on, and then what would 
our position be? Why not go direct to the cloister 
where we could refresh ourselves, and after a good 
night's rest make the attempt in the morning? 

I informed my hero that it was now only two 
o'clock in the afternoon, and that I had neither the 
wish nor the time to retrace my steps next day; to 
this I added a strong appeal to his vanity, urging 
upon him the honor it would be to him and his 
house forever, if by his skillful guidance I was ena- 
bled to reach the top. He wavered for a moment, 
but fear got the better of him, and whilst Iwas send- 


96 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


ing on the servant and horses to Troaditissa, he 
started off upon the road, shouting back to me that 
“there was nothing in his agreement about ascend- 
ing such a mountain as that.” ‘ 

I was not sorry to get rid of the cowardly rascal, 
and contented myself with desiring him to wait for 
me at the cloister. Hussein and I at once started 
to make the final ascent, and succeeded in riding 
safely over the rocks and stones until we began to 
reach the snow. At this point my horse refused to 
stir, apparently terrified by the blinding glare of 
the snow. Blows and persuasion alike failing to 
move him, I was compelled to leave Hussein behind 
in charge of him, and continue my way alone. It is 
probably many years since any one, except myself, 
has made the attempt. If Mount Olympus were on 
the European continent, hundreds would climb to 
its summit in the course of the year; but the Cypri- 
otes are indolent, and all strangers visiting the 
island feel the influence of its climate, and become 
disinclined for active exertion before the end of six 
months. 

The snow, which, unluckily for me, was thawing, 
formed frequent streams of water, which rendered 
my footing so insecure that I sank many times up 
to my knees. The higher portion of the ascent was 
worst of all; again and again, after hard climbing, 
I found myself slipping back, some twenty paces at 
atime. The rocks became steeper, and the snow 


- “MOUNT OLYMPUS.  ~ ) 97 


being lightly frozen over, and very slippery, my 
only chance was by patiently persevering and slowly 
mounting step by step, digging my stick deep, and 
planting my feet firmly, as I passed from one spot 
to another, all the time following a zigzag direction, 
and experiencing all those various- sensations of 
hope and despair, inseparable from this kind of ex- 
ertion. Alpine travelers alone can appreciate the 
enthusiasm that filled my heart, as I inhaled deep 
draughts of ozone and gazed upon the scene beneath 
me. ‘The landscape was one of the grandest upon 
earth, and quite peculiar in its characteristics. 

Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterra- 
nean, looked from this point of view like a green 
and lovely gem, washed by the blue waves of the 
surrounding sea, which met the horizon on every 
_ side. Toward the north-east the dazzling range of 
Taurus is distinctly visible, extending along the 
Cilician coast toward Kurdistan, and opposite on 
the south-east the dark purple heights of Lebanon, 
Upon the summit of Olympus one stands high above 
every other object in the island, and looks down 
upon miles of varied and enchanting country. 

The peculiarity of this landscape is the strong 
contrast offered by its principal features: the blue 
sea, the snowy mountains, and the island itself; 
whilst the latter again presents three distinct fea- 
tures, the dark mountains covering the western half 
of the country, the long chain of hills traversing the 


98 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


Carpasian peninsula, and between these the brown 
and golden-tinted plains, Only once in my life 
could I hope to gaze upon a scene of such magnifi- 
cent beauty. The highest point of the mountain, 
which was entirely free from snow, is divided into 
three peaks closely resembling each other in appear- 
ance. The centre one of these, according to my own 
measurement, was 6,160 feet (instead of 7,000 feet) 
above the level of the sea. Unger makes this peak 
only 5,897 feet high, according to the map contained 
in his work on Cyprus. It is true I had only my 
little aneroid to go by, but it has never, to my 
- knowledge, failed me yet. 

In vain I searched in all directions for any trace 
of ancient ruins; I found nothing save unheaped 
stones, and rubbish. I do not hesitate to assure my 
readers that as I stood at that immense height 
above the surrounding scenery, entirely cut off as it 
seemed from every living creature, an indescribable 
dread, that was almost fear, crept over me. Not 
even a bird disturbed the air; and beneath me, as 
far as the eye could reach, not a sign of animation 
was to be seen. On some of the neighboring hills I 
could fancy I saw small villages; but what ap- 
peared to be houses were probably only rocks. 
The sun began to set, and a chilly breeze warned 
me that I had better descend. I had not gone far 
before I saw Hussein waiting below with the horses. 
I waved my hat to attract his attention, as I ob- 


MOUNT OLYMPUS. 99 


served him looking upward, but strong as were his 
eyes, he could not distinguish me at such an eleva- 
tion even in that clear atmosphere. Our way to 
Troaditissa proved much farther than we expected, 
and night had long closed in before we reached 
our destination. 


CHAPTER XIL 
CYPRUS IN ANCIENT TIMES. 


As we journeyed, in twilight and solitude, around 
the mountain, and darkness approached, I could 
not forget that, even to the highest peak of this 
very Olympus, at least 6,000 feet above the level 
of the sea, festive bands of worshippers had in by- 
gone times ascended, when visiting this sacred 
ground. Nothing, however, either of temple or 
worship remained. The very remembrance of them 
was blotted out, and even the name of the moun- 
tain is almost unknown to the present population. 
The changing fortunes of the country next pre- 
sented themselves to my imagination. Already ten 
dynasties have ruled in Cyprus—first the Pheeni- 
cians, then the Greeks, to these succeeded the Per- 
sian, the Egyptian, the Roman and the Byzantine 
‘ages, next came the Arabian, the Frankish, and the 
Venetian rulers, and lastly, for nearly three hun- 
dred years, the whole country has been subject to 
the rule of the Turk; the worst period of its his- 
tory. The earliest condition of Cyprus is involved 
in misty obscurity. On blowing away these clouds 


a little, we see a large welkwooded country, alto- 
100 


CYPRUS IN ANCIENT TIMES. 101 


gether covered with waving trees. <A large town 
next becomes apparent, situated upon the southern 
coast, and out of its haven, numerous small long. 
prowed ships are putting to sea, manned by a bold 
crew, who with oars and snowy sails are gradually 
making their way across the distant sea. The 
sailors are Pheenicians, the large town is called Kiti, 
and we descry, moreover, the abodes of numerous 
settlers upon the island’s southern shore. Kiti, ac- 
cording to the Bible, was founded by a grandson of 
Japhet—such is the venerable antiquity which sur- 
rounded the first history of the country. 

The inhabitants of Syria next appeared upon the 
scene, coming over from the opposite mainland, to 
cultivate these Gelightful plains, to cut down their 
luxuriant woods, wherewith to build ships, and to 
obtain from the earth the metallic treasures there 
hidden. The mines were worked by the Korybantes 
and the Daktyles, between whom, apparently, a trade 
partnership or family connection existed. 

The industry of the inhabitants of Cyprus, even 
at that early period, attained such celebrity, that 
Semiramis obtained shipbuilders from Kiti to be em- 
ployed on the banks of the Euphrates. With the 
Pheenicians, the worship of the Syrian goddess, 
Astarte, was introduced into Cyprus, to whom altars 
were erected at Paphos, Amathus, and Idalion. How 
beautiful must then have been the forests reflected 
in the waters, the verdure of the plains, the rich 


102 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


color of the blossoms, soon however to be invaded 
by the scorching heat of summer, whereby the last 
leaf, the last blade of grass would be dried up, not 
inaptly symbolizing the new divinity, the teeming 
but merciless goddess Astarte. Cyprus became 
her most celebrated sanctuary, and the worship of 
Astarte, which was imported from the banks of the 
Euphrates, the Tigris, and the Nile, into Pheenicia 
and Cyprus, there took root, and put forth new 
branches, making its way toward the northwest, 
and at last reached the Greeks, a lively, imagina- 
tive, and energetic people, who readily embraced 
the new religion. After this came the Trojan war, 
the history of which never will be obliterated from 
the memory of mankind. All the noble warriors 
and chiefs who took part in the strife with their 
ancestry, descendants, and personal prowess, are 
freshly remembered even in the traditions of the 
present day, but the chief thing to be recollected 
is, that this memorable strife was the commence- 
ment of the struggle between the East and the 
West. 

At length the princely city of Troy was over- 
powered. A long and bloody strife was fought 
out before her walls, and upon her whitened plains 
are still assembled the shades of her heroes, while 
their fame is emblazoned in the most beautiful of he- 
roic poems. Soon after the Trojan War, the Greeks 
took possession of Cyprus under the leadership of 


CYPRUS IN ANCIENT TIMES. 103 


Teucer, Akamas, Demophon, Agapenor and Kephas. 
Praxander, and numerous otlier petty chieftains 
seized upon the quiet bays, wherever the scenery of 
the coast had a tempting appearance, and speedily 
brought their armed ships to land. They then 
plunged into the deuse forests, hewed down the 
trees, and building intrenchments, awaited armed 
with shield and spear, to see whether the islanders 
who were assembled in the distance, dared to at- 
tack them. All round the coast similar inroads 
were continually repeated, until at length, they ven- 
tured up the rivers and there established their 
domiciles ; the nucleus of a petty state. The Greeks 
oceupied Cyprus for a considerable period, and 
mixed with the Syrians of Pheenician or of Jewish 
extraction, until at length becoming assimilated 
both in speech and manners, they formed but one 
people. Certain inscriptions found in the country 
were at first quite impossible to decipher, inasmuch 
that they were thought to belong to some very an- 
cient people older even than the Phcenicians; these 
have however been proved quite recently to be of 
Greeco-Cyprian origin. 

- Under the magic touch of Grecian refinement, 
the goddess of luxury and wantonness, Astarte, 
became the most beautiful of ideal creations, the 
mother of the Graces, the charming Aphrodite. In 
the imagination of the times, Cyprus appeared rising 
above the blue waves, and tinted with roseate hues. 


104 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


There dwelt the glorious goddess in the midst of 
blooming gardens, and shaded by the green foliage 
of the woods, under the shadows of which her wor- 
shippers were supposed to dwell in happiness, en- 
nobled by religious fervor. 

This enervating period past, we find Cyprus di- 
vided into nine petty kingdoms, whose capitals 
were the cities Kition, Silionia Amathank Kurion, 
New Paphos, Kerynia, Lapithos, Soli, and Chytros. 
Numerous rivers and brooks, streaming down from 
the wood-crowned hills, and enlarging as they de- 
scended, everywhere distributed life and fertility. 
At the mouth of each river or stream was a town or 
cultivated district; industry seemed to have reached 
its highest point, and out of thirty havens, ships 
went forth to earn a reputation, which made the 
island dreaded throughout the Eastern seas. Mean- 
while in those continents, between which Cyprus is 
situated, great empires had been established. The 
Assyrian, Egyptian, and Persian, each cast covetous 
eyes upon the Cyprian shores, and obstinate battles 
were fought for their possession in the sixth cen- 
tury, Bc. Partly owing to the persistent attacks 
from without, partly from internal dissensions, the 
inhabitants succumbed and submitted voluntarily 
to the ruie of the Egyptians. 

When, however, in the course of years, the Egyp- 
tian yoke became too oppressive, and the name of 
Cyrus outshone all others, the Cyprians appealed 


CYPRUS IN ANCIENT TIMES. 105 


-to him for assistance. No fewer than a hundred 
and fifty large Cyprian galleys assisted Xerxes in 
his passage over the Hellespont. Not long after- 
ward Cyprus took part in the great national war 
against Persia. The Greeks spared no money to 
defend the island on account of its mineral wealth, 
and the rich supply of wood which it afforded 
wherewith to build their ships; and also for its 
rich harvests of fruit and its manufactured wares, 
but principally on account of its excellent position, 
in case of war with the nations inhabiting the Asi- 
atic shores. 

Great battles were fought in Cyprian waters, by 
fleets under the command of Kimon and Enagoras, 
the latter of whom had expelled the Persians from 
all the cities of the coast, and assisted Cyprus in a 
ten years’ war against the whole strength of Persia; 
a glorious example, which did not fail to make a 
deep impression, throughout the whole of Greece. 
At length, however, the Persians once more got the 
upper hand, and a courtesan in Persepolis was en- 
abled to squander in a single night the entire rev- 
enue derived from the tribute of nine Cyprian kings. 

Next the great Macedonian conqueror appeared 
upon the world’s stage. Had it not been for his 
powerful and crafty father, Philip, the union of the 
Greeks would never have been accomplished; they 
had negotiated and fought, and fought and nego- 
tiated, but were never ready to act in concert, but 


106 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


now the strength of Macedon had united their 
forces under the conduct of Philip’s heroic son, and 
set out upon their great campaign in Asia, 

When Alexander laid siege to Tyre, the Cyprian 
kings, of their own accord, sent to him their power- 
ful fleets and warlike engines, and strove, amongst 
themselves, who should most richly contribute to 
the festive games with which they celebrated the 
news of his victories. Some accompanied him even 
as far as the Indus, where the Cyprian shipwrights 
had built the fleet, in which he intended to ascend 
the mighty river. The great conqueror himself 
Was presented with a dagger, made by the artisans 
of Kiti, that was regarded with admiration on ae- 
count of its keen edge and masterly workmanship, 
When the chief officers of Alexander’s army, from 
being generals were exalted into kings, bloody bat- 
tles were again fought for the possession of Cyprus. 
Whoever possessed this island, could command the 
shores of Asia! Whoever possessed the shores of 
Asia, but not the island, was always open to attack! 
Ultimately, however, it became the property of the 
Ptolemies, and remained for two hundred years 
under the dominion of Egypt. Heavily was the 
hand of Egypt laid upon poor Cyprus; the taxes 
imposed upon its cities and villages were grievous 
to be borne; its nine kings dwindled into mere 
shadows, an Egyptian governor resided at Salamis, 
and lorded it over the land like an independent 


CYPRUS IN ANCIENT TIMES. 107 


monarch. But now the Western continent for the 
third time prepared a great expedition against the 
East. 
Already in Italy the heavy tread of Roman co- 
horts resounded, and wherever they were heard the 
. wreaths that ornamented Greek or Asiatic places 
trembled, or fell withered to the ground. Not a 
word was heard of right, or wrong, either toward 
the prince, or people; Egypt was taken possession 
of, and Cyprus became the province of a Roman 
proconsul, who established his residence in Paphos, 
The Roman system of government in a subdued 
territory differed but little from that of the Turks. 
Unlike the Turks, however, the Romans recom- 
pensed their subjects with higher political culture, 
with substantial rights as citizens, with domestic 
peace, with excellent roads and harbors, with free 
trade throughout all their vast empire, and—with 
what the Turks do not vouchsafe, and, in spite of all 
their promises and experimental trials, only in a 
very limited degree can offer to their subjects—every 
inhabitant of Cyprus under the dominion of Rome, 
gifted with industry and genius, had the. oppor- 
tunity of raising himself, even to the highest offices 
in the state. Throughout all the earlier periods of 
its history, this island was the place where impor- 
tant-business, both in connection with its mines and 
agricultural produce, was carried on. It was the 
abode of luxury and voluptuous enjoyment, and 


108 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


deeply as the Romans helped themselves from the 
pockc«ts of the Cyprians, there was always much re- 
maining. 

At the end of the Roman epoch a remarkable 
change took, place. It has long been a recognized 
fact, though dismal enough, that the instincts of 
sensuality, cruelty, and mystical superstition, are 
entwined together as if they grew from the same 
root. In Cyprus this law of nature seems to have 
asserted itself throughout the land. In presence 
of. the mysteries of Astarte, in which abominable 
lust, bloodshed, and depravity reigned triumphant, 
we gladly shut our eyes. But, behold, at the magie 
touch of Grecian art, the gloomy Astarte becomes 
transformed into the fair goddess, that, rising from 
the sea-foam, assumes the beauteous shape of Ve- 
nus. The lovely Aphrodite, whose worship, how- 
ever, still retained enough and more than enough of 
the ancient rites. And now she undergoes a third 
transformation. How at the present day do the 
Cyprians name the Mother of God, simply “ Aphro- 
ditissa.” She is often represented in the oldest 
pictures, with her dark features veiled and glitter- 
ing with gold and silver; exactly as in ancient time, 
the great black meteoric stone—the idol of Venus— 
Astarte, was solemnly veiled by her priestesses. 

From the very ground, upon which formerly 
stood the temple of the Cyprian Venus, little images 
of the Madonna are frequently dug up, as, for ex- 


CYPRUS IN ANCIENT TIMES. 109 


ample, the five goddesses, sitting upon throne-like 
seats, each with a child upon its bosom, obtained 
from the excavations at Idalion, and now pre- 
served in the Ambrose collection at Vienna. Here, 
indeed, the figures are altogether of an antique 
character, nevertheless every one of the five has so 
completely the characters of a Christian Madonna, 
that the observer involuntarily thinks them counter- 
feits. The conversion of the Aphrodite into the 
“Aphroditissa” occurred during the earliest days of 
_ Christianity, when the sensual culture of Venus 
gave place to the pure worship of the Virgin Mother. 
The Jews, meanwhile, long groaning under the 
weight of Roman taxation in Cyprus, as in Palestine, 
and overwhelmed with rage and despair, conspired 
together, and collecting into a formidable army slew, 
as it is stated, 250,000 men, a number which indi- 
cates how densely populated the island must have 
been. Since this fearful slaughter no Jew has ven- 
tured to reside in Cyprus. Christianity now made 
such rapid progress, that the country was divided into 
no less than thirty bishoprics. The island became a 
land of saints; Barrabas, Lazarus, Heraclides, Hila- 
rion, Spiridion, Epiphanes, Johannes, Lampadista, 
Johannes the Almoner, Catherine, Acona, Maura, 
and a long list of holy persons stand in the calendar 
as belonging to Cyprus. 

After the Roman epoch ensued the long and 
tedious uniformity of Byzantine rule. The manage- 


110 © CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


ment of the island of Cyprus was for the most part 
intrusted to the care of military and civil governors, 
although, sometimes, both these functions were 
united in the hands of a satrap, who bore the title 
of duke or kaimacan (one set above all). The 
supreme governor next endeavored to make the 
succession hereditary in his own family, and fora 
time succeeded—a result which soon tempted him to 
aim at complete independence; for, relying on his 
position, and the extent of his internal resources, he 
deemed the island strong enough to defend itself, 
His independence, however, only lasted until the 
imperial forces could be got together. 

A fleet from Constantinople soon arrived, which, 
putting on shore a sufficient number of troops, over- 
threw all his schemes and punished his temerity. In 
the fourth century, during which Cyprus was sink- 
ing slowly, but surely, into political and domestic 
ruin, great misfortunes fell upon her. Earthquakes 
destroyed her towns, and repeated droughts almost 
completed her destruction; it is said that no rain 
fell during thirty years, when, as the few surviving 
inhabitants were endeavoring to escape from the 
death-stricken country, there appeared among them 
the holy St. Helena, who carried with her, wherever 
she went, refreshing showers ; after which the towns 
and cloisters were once more filled by the returning 
inhabitants. 

From the middle of the seventh to the middle of 


CYPRUS IN ANCIENT TIMES. 111 


the tenth century, the hand of man caused fearful 
devastation. Hordes of pirates appeared upon the 
coast, who, landing at every available place, set fire 
to the towns and villages, and when the inhabit- 
ants fled to save themselves, laid hands on every- 
thing within their reach. Money and fruit, men 
and cattle, all were hurried on board their ships. 
Swiftly as they had come they departed; in vain 
the fleet sent out by Government endeavored to 
follow them. 

Among the islands and havens of the Grecian 
Archipelago concealment and shelter were easily 
obtained ; the only resource was to place watchmen 
upon commanding points of the coast, from whence 
they could see toa distance; and to build towers 
and beacons, whence signals could be made by means 
of fires and smoke, so soon as any suspicious craft 
madé its appearance. On seeing this signal, all the 
inhabitants of the coast fled into the interior, taking 
their children and cattle and their money and valu- | 
ables with them; and there they remained con- 
cealed until another signal from the watchman told 
them that the coast was clear. Next came robbers 
of a still worse description; the former only sought 
for what could be readily carried off in their ships: 
these others were land robbers. The pirates only 
struck down or burned whatever hindered them in 
their proceedings; the others destroyed for destruc- 
tion’s sake, and collecting men like sheep, drove them 


112 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


into slavery. These were Arabs; from their sandy 
and rocky deserts they brought with them a sav- 
age hatred against all religious edifices, which they 
leveled with the ground. It was now that the an- 
cient buildings of Cyprus suffered: the old temples 
were reduced to ruins, the towns were destroyed, 
and everything Greek or Roman perished. The 
Arabs wished to establish their new government in 
the island, and for this purpose they only required 
bare ground. 

In Constantinople every endeavor was made 
once more to seize upon and maintain possession of 
the rich island. In despair a command was issued 
by the Sultan that all these fierce intruders should 
leave Cyprus. The how] of the Arab was no longer 
heard in the country, and the population began 
again to gather itself together, first in the plains 
and towns upon the coast, and afterward, little by 
little, the hills became once more peopled. To this 
Arab period succeeded a respite, during which the 
island was enabled in some degree to recover itself. 

The rule of the Byzantine continued, however, for 
two hundred years. Frequently did the Cyprians 
endeavor to free themselves from bonds which pin- 
ioned the arms of industry, but all in vain; the 
island seemed to have settled down in that slow 
decay, which was the fate of all the Byzantine prov- 
inces. When we reflect what a system of robbery 
was practiced throughout the western Roman em- 


CYPRUS IN ANCIENT TIMES. 113 


pire, and the absolute poverty of the eastern states, 
and consider that the Grecian people for thirteen 
centuries had to submit to such rulers; that in that 
time so many insurrections broke out among the 
German, Slav, Arabian, and Turanian nations; we 
must perforce recognize the excellent material of 
which they are composed. It is a wonder that after 
so many centuries of oppression, spoliation, and 
misery, so many of them survive. 

We have now arrived at the end of the twelfth 
century, and for the fourth time the Western Con- 
tinent is assembled to do battle against the East. 
France and Germany take the lead in the crusade, 
Italy and England assist. For nearly a century the 
coast of Asia opposite to Cyprus, from Cilicia to 
Egypt, had again become. Christian. The centre of 
the group was the kingdom of Jerusalem. Its sup- 
porters were the principalities of Tripoli, Edissa, and 
Antioch, the dominions of Cesarea, Beyrut, Sidon, 
and ‘Tyre. Only Cyprus remained under the By- 
zantine yoke, Then came Richard Cceur de Lion, 
and in one wild attack he subdued the island and 
departed. Cyprus once more had her own king, and 
by a single stroke order and peace was restored to the 
island. Baronial castles, abbeys with stately halls, 
and beautiful Gothic cathedrals, sprang up in all 
directions. The slopes of the hills were covered with 
vineyards and orchards, and the fields were sown 
with corn and profitable vegetables. Rich works, 


114 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


and a trade that extended all over the Mediterra- . 
nean, gave life to the whole country. Famagusta 
and Limasol at once took their places as large sea- 
ports. | 

After having been for fifteen hundred years a 
mere dependency on either Memphis, Persepolis, 
Alexandria, Rome, or Constantinople, Cyprus now 
for three hundred years enjoyed the blessings of 
self-government, and was prosperous and in high 
repute. She built a new capital city, and, when the 
Holy Land was abandoned, became the rendezvous 
of the knights, who brought with them their laws. 

As in the days of Cymon and Enagoras, Cyprus 
became the arsenal where the fleets and armies of 
Greece armed themselves to invade Persia. She 
now shone across the blue waters of the Mediterra- ~ 
nean as the centre of knighthood and chivalry, from 
whence the unbelievers were incessantly attacked, 
and for a long time victoriously fought against 
whenever they ventured to establish themselves 
upon the coast from Symrna to Alexandria. 

This glorious change in the condition of Cyprus 
was effected, not by the inhabitants of the island, 
but by the knights, monks, and citizens who came 
to her from foreign countries, bringing with them 
knowledge, activity, and industry. 

When the Venetians took possession of the coun- 
try, it once more sank into its former insignificance, 
it became merely the treasure chest and the granary 








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THE MOSQUE OF MAHOMET'’S NURSE.—See Page 303, 


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CYPRUS IN ANCIENT TIMES. 115 


of a foreign nation. The entire population soon 
lost its chivalrous character, and gradually sank into 
a sloth and stupidity from which it again never 
recovered ; and, to add to the general misery, a fear- 
ful scourge now visited the unhappy land. In the 
places left desert by diminished cultivation, lo- 
custs multiplied to such an extent that vegetation 
disappeared from the face of the ground. A still 
greater misfortune was the incessant destruction of 
the trees and woods; the very mountains were left 
bare, and, as a natural consequence, the rivers and 
brooks were dried up, so that the parched land was 
no longer capable of cultivation. This state of 
things has now existed for nearly three hundred 
years. Each successive season appears worse than 
that which preceded it, the rulers more rapacious, 
and the climate more unhealthy. In our day, the 
inhabitants seem to be slightly roused from their 
apathetic slumber, which is principally owing to 
foreign interference. This amelioration exists par- 
ticularly in the vicinity of the sea coast, once so rich 
and beautiful, now so wretched and unfortunate. 


CHAPTER XUI. 
TROADITISSA. 


Tue stumbling of my horse roused me from the 
foregoing reflections on the history of the famous 
mountain beneath the shadow of which we now 
rode. Our path lay over steep and rugged rocks, 
and after a long course of scrambling, my horse at 
last refused to stir from the spot on which he stood. 
We dismounted in hopes of discovering his cause of 
alarm, and found ourselves on the very brink of a 
yawning precipice. By a vigorous effort we again 
found our path, and after some hard climbing, de- 
scended into a valley through which ran a small 
stream. 

In the distance I observed lights, and felt con- 
vinced they must proceed from the monastery we 
were in search of. As we approached they turned 
out to be bonfires, lit to celebrate the Easter f{@te, 
and that the supposed cloister was only a small 
village. We plunged our horses into the midst of 
the rushing stream in order to gain the opposite 
bank, but found it far too high. We now rode up 
and down the bed of the stream shouting for assist- 


ance till we were hoarse, but all was useless. Al- 
116 


TROADITISSA. 117 


most in hopeless despair, Hussein made one more 
vigorous effort to rouse the indolent inhabitants, 
and shouted at the top of his voice for some one to 
come with torches and show us our way. 

No one answered, and we sought in vain for some 
means of reaching the bank. At last, as a final 
effort, Hussein gathered himself together and once 
more exerted his powerful voice. This time the 
shout was a menace. In the name of the pacha, he 
commanded the villagers to appear and conduct a 
noble stranger to the cloister of Troaditissa, under 
the penalty of having their houses pulled about 
their ears should they refuse to comply. This had 
the desired effect; two men immediately appeared 
bearing torches and led us on our way. From them 
we learnt that a foreign gentleman, who spoke good 
Greek, had called at the village about two hours 
previously with his servant, and had requested to 
have a guide to the cloister; this could have been 
no other than my courageous dragoman, and I pic- 
tured to myself his anguish when he found himself 
lost and belated. 

When our guides heard I had ascended to the 
summit of Olympus they assured me I might con- 
sider myself lucky to have escaped any attack from 
the deraons and kobolds who haunted the spot. 
Had I not heard, they inquired, that the temple 
of Aphroditissa had been removed lower down 
because of the machinations of these evil ones? 


é 


118 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


The village of Fini, which we now left, lay about 
1,000 feet below the monastery, and was separated 
therefrom by a steep and rocky road. My whole 
frame was exhausted, and had I had any idea of 
the distance we must still traverse before reaching 
our destination, I should certainly have insisted on 
remaining for the night in any one of the village 
huts, however squalid it might be. <As it was, I was 
in the hands of my energetic zaptieh, who hurried 

on our guides with all possible speed. For myself I 
was quite past everything, except clinging on to 
my horse, to keep myself from falling, letting him 
stumble on by himself, guided only by his instinct 
through the pitchy darkness of the night. [ 
thanked Heaven loudly when about eleven o’clock. 
we reached the gate of the cloister. An Easter 
bonfire was also burning here, formed of two huge 

“trees, which, as they slowly burnt, were pushed fur- 
ther into the flames in order that the fire might not 
die out before sunrise. 

I was at once conducted to my apartments, which, 
though the best in the house, bore a most disgust- 
ing resemblance to a stable; and had scarcely set 
my foot upon the floor, when my dragoman’s head 
appeared out of his bedclothes, and he commenced a 
woeful tale of sufferings and alarms. He was starv- 
ing with hunger, and the monks had only given him 
a piece of wretched bread that he could scarcely put 
his teeth into! For my supper, the worthy brethren 


TROADITISSA. 119 


brought me an earthen pot of the dirtiest, contain- 
ing some cold turnips and a small piece of salt beef. 
Hungry as I was I could not have touched them. 
Luckily for us the superior of the cloisters appeared 
and ordered some wine and eggs to be brought. 
The wine, which was excellent, revived us, and 
loosened the tongues of the two monks who bore us 
company, and we chatted gayly far into the night. 
This capital wine (Mavro) is of a very deep red 
color, and is made in the neighboring village of Fini. 
Its effect upon my exhausted frame was marvellous, 
I have often found during my journey in Cyprus 
that a glass of Commanderia was the finest remedy 
for over-fatigue, and. I quite understood the popular 
idea of its being by far the best medicine in many 
eases of illness. 

Early next morning I was roused by the bells, 
which were hung almost directly over my head. 
Mass was being celebrated in the little church; this 
was far too small for its village congregation, and 
the men were standing outside with lights in their 
hands, whilst the women kept farther in the back- 
ground. When the celebration was over, the women 
and girls seated themselves upon the trunks of some 
trees, and began eating the food they had brought 
with them, whilst the men mounted to a rough bal- 
cony in front of the cloister, and sat down upon 
some benches. The two monks now appeared with 
baskets and earthen vessels, and after the men had 


120 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


kissed their hands, presented each with a linen cloth 
to spread over his knees, and then gave a plentiful 
supply of bread, cheese, and wine. This repast was 
followed by a cup of coffee. . 

Amongst the women I noticed many with truly 
classic features, but in most cases they had heavy 
figures. Two girls, however, were perfect types of 
statuesque beauty, and would have made a sculp- 
tor’s heart leap with joy. 

Whilst I was enjoying this scene, a third old 
monk appeared who was suffering terribly from a 
wound in his leg, which had not been properly at- 
tended. I showed the poor old soul how to make 
some lint, and lay it on the sore, thickly overspread 
with tallow from the fat of a goat; This act of 
charity performed, I followed the good brothers into 
the chapel. Like most cloister churches in Cyprus, 
it appeared to date from very ancient times, and 
was probably built when Christianity first reached 
the island. Near this little edifice stood two rough 
buildings, containing a few rude chambers which, 
with the chapel, formed the whole monastery. 
Should any one wish to pass a week in this spot he 
must accustom himself to the pangs of hunger, as 
the worthy monks practice the abstinence on fast 
days, which they require of their flock. 

This cloister can boast one most curious and val- 
uable relic, namely, a picture of the Madonna 
worked in silver and gold, with the heads of mother — 


TROADITISSA. 121 


and child painted on ivory. This curiosity is five 
and a half feet long, by three and a half feet wide. 
When I raised the veil that (as is usual in the island) 
hung over the face of the Mother of God, I observed 
two large silver plates, bearing the device of the 
Russian double eagle, and the date 1799, from 
which it would appear that this fine work had been 
the gift of imperial piety. This was no doubt an 
act of wisdom, as the whole surrounding country 
still seems pervaded by a host of superstitions dating 
from heathen times. This monastery is the constant 
resort of pilgrims on account of the healing powers 
with which this picture is supposed to be endowed, 
and the poor brotherhood are often hard pressed 
to find food for themselves and their numerous vis- 
itors. 

When we were leaving, the old monk again ap- 
peared; his leg was much better, and he fell upon 
my neck and embraced and thanked me with much 
gratitude. Our road lay through the scene of our 
last night’s troubles, and I trembled as I saw the 
pitfalls we had passed in the pitchy darkness, and 
yet escaped with our lives. 

I was now desirous of riding through the country 
to the monastery of Chrysorogiatissa, which I under- 
stood to be about seven or eight leagues distant ; we 
found, however, that it took us an entire day to- 
reach the spot. 


Shortly after leaving the sales: of Fini we 
6 


122 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


entered a magnificent valley, inclosed by reddish- 
brown mountains, with trees scattered here and 
there upon the declivities. These reminded me of 
the trees upon the open prairies of America, which 
are only met with at about every 200 or 300 feet. 
On the prairies, however, the trees when they do 
appear, form pleasing objects in the landscape, 
whilst the stunted growth upon the Cyprian moun- 
tains only gives an impression of barrenness and 
decay. We saw a few firs at an elevation of 4,000 
feet, and in some of the upper peaks a few pines are 
still to be met with. A very different scene pre- 
sented itself in the valley beneath us. From every 
stone and rock hung long grass and clumps of flow- 
ers, and in some places these were entirely covered 
with brilliant mosses and a variety of creeping 
plants. Bushes of sage, marjoram, cistus, arbutus, 
laurel, and myrtle covered the ground, whilst oaks, 
juniper, and mastic trees spread their roots in all 
directions near the rippling waters of the stream 
that irrigated this beautiful valley. The soft foli- 
age of the tamarisk contrasted finely with the dark 
branches of the pines and the silver-gray of the wild 
olive. , 

On the trees and bushes were perched a host of 
feathered songsters, and every cleft and fissure in the’ 
low-lying rocks streamed and rippled with sparkling 
water, Every here and there we came upon a spot 
where the moist swampy earth was covered with 


TROADITISSA. 123 


peonies, tulips, and a variety of bulbous plants, 
whilst every decaying tree stump showed a luxuri- 
ant crop of orchids and rare creepers. The whole 
air was so charged with heavy perfume from these 
multitudinous flowers, that I breathed more freely 
when we reached a slight eminence and were met 
by a refreshing breeze, which bore with it the de- 
licious odor of some neighboring fig-trees. 

In passing through one of these valleys we found 
the sun intolerable. It actually seemed as if the 
heat were rising from the ground and would scorch 
our legs. J have, however, never felt in Cyprus, 
except on this occasion, that over-powering sultriness 
which is so often experienced in Sicily; still, it of 
course must be thoroughly understood that I tra- 
veled through the island in the freshness of early 
spring. 

Let no one imagine that our path through these 
picturesque valleys was without its difficulties and 
annoyances. Over and over again we lost our way, 
and at last we were compelled to plunge into the 
bed of the stream and let our horses swim and 
struggle as best they could over the loose stones that 
beset them at every step. When we again landed, 
our way lay along the edge of a steep declivity and 
over walls of rock, without a trace of roadway or 
anything to indicate the course we ought to take, 
A tedious ride at length usually brought us to a 
deep gully, beyond which lay another luxuriant and 


124 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


laughing valley. In this manner we journeyed all 
day, following the course of the stream and the goat 
paths, whenever it was possible, and stumbling on 
as best we might when these were not available. 

At noon we stopped to rest upon a hill above the 
murmuring waters of the mountain stream, and for 
the first time that day heard the distant sound of 
sheep-bells. Gradually the tinkling became more 
distinct, and in a short time two shepherds with 
guns on their shoulders appeared upon the scene. 
They were fine fellows, and gave me many interest- 
ing particulars of their life on the mountains, whilst 
gratefully sharing the meal we were enjoying. They 
belonged to a nomad race,. wandering during the 
greatest part of the year about these mountains 
with their flocks, and sleeping in little huts roughly 
made of branches for the occasion. On my asking 
if many shepherds lived this life, they laughed, and 
assured me that not only men and boys, but women 
and girls passed whole months in this manner 
among the mountains, the women carrying a light 
spindle about with them, and plying their wool- 
spinning, a work they much prefer to laboring with 
the hoe and sickle in the fields, Exactly such a life 
as this I have often witnessed in the Greek islands 
of Samothrace and Thasos, and exactly such fea- 
tures, build, and dress as these men exhibited. Like 
their Grecian brothers our Cyprian friends imitated 
the shriek of the vultures and the calls of a great 


TROADITISSA. 125 


many birds, in the most perfect manner, ITinquired 
of these shepherds, if they could give me any par: 
ticulars concerning the mufflons, a species of wild 
goat, but could only -learn that it was but very 
rarely met with. From what I could gather, I im-, 
agine that it is nearly extinct. 


CHAPTER: XTY. 


CYPRIAN WOODS AND FORESTS. 


Cyprus, of late years, has been gradually sinking 
to decay through the supine indolence and indiffer- 
ence of her degraded population. In no particular 
does the whole surface of the country suffer so se- 
verely as in the utter devastation of her mountain 
forests. All the former rulers of this beautiful 
island, Greeks, Persians, Egyptians, Romans, Arabs, 
and Byzantines gave particular attention to the cul- 
tivation of the fine trees that contributed so largely 
to her prosperity. Oaks, firs, fig-trees, and nut-trees 
covered the entire island, even to the sea-shore. 
During the two first centuries of the Lusignan dy- 
nasty the first formidable attack was made upon the 
Juxuriance of Cyprian forests, and timber was em- 
ployed in enormous quantities for the building of 
merchant vessels, and the construction of the fine 
fleets that Cyprus sent forth to the coasts of Asia 
Minor, Syria, and Egypt. 

Then came the Venetians, equally bent on ship- 
building, but their prudent foresight forbade them 
to hew down without planting again, and under 


their rule the forests flourished almost as luxuri- 
: 126 


CYPRIAN WOODS AND FORESTS. 127 


antly as ever. A very different state of things arose 
under the improvidence and carelessness of Turkish 
rule... If a hundred trunks were wanted,a thousand 
were hewn down, it being easier to select the finest 
trees as they lay upon the ground than when tower- 
ing among their companions. The best were taken 
and the rest left to rot where they had fallen. 
Every maritime disaster entailed fresh destruction 
to the Cyprian forests. Pachas, kaimakans, and 
agas year by year increased their revenues by cut- 
ting down the trees, and leaving what they could 
not sell to be appropriated by whoever chose to 
take them. The fine forests were under no protec- 
tion from Government, and the poorer classes drew 
a considerable part of their livelihood from the sale 
of the trees they cut down. Mehemet Ali, the first 
Viceroy of Egypt, gave the finishing stroke to this 
work of folly by permitting or rather encouraging, 
any one who chose, to fell the trees and send them 
to Egypt to assist in the construction of ships, wa- 
ter-wheels, and canals. 

All over the island this wanton destruction of 
their trees by the Cypriotes is observable. Every 
village or occupied spot is remarkable for the spolia- 
tion of its surrounding timber; small trees are cut 
down at the roots, whilst the giants of the forest, 
whose huge trunks could only be overthrown by 
patience and exertion, have bad all their branches 
and bark lopped off and hacked away. 


128 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


Another powerful cause of destruction is to be 
traced to the constant occurrence of fires in the 
woods and forests. These arise principally from the 
carelessness of the wandering shepherds and their 
families, who kindle a blaze without the slightest 
attempt to avoid the destruction that so frequently 
ensues. During the course of our ride I have often 
passed several of these charred and blackened dis- 
tricts, where it was quite evident the progress of 
the fire had only been arrested by there being no 
more trees or shrubs to devour. When the value of 
this rich source of wealth to the island is again ap- 
preciated a very short space of time will be required 
before the forests are again flourishing in all their 
former beauty. The fertility of Cyprus is truly 
marvellous, and should a tract of country be left 
unravaged for three years, trees of every variety 
will again rear their heads, Even on the most arid 
part of the mountains, I frequently observed a fine 
erowth of young firs and pines; these, however, 
would not be allowed to reach maturity, for what 
the hand of man does not sweep away is destroyed 
by the sheep and goats as they wander unrestrained 
about the hills. 7 

Forests of dark pines were once numerous upon 
the higher ranges of mountains, but these have also 
fallen victims to the recklessness of the islanders. 
Resin and pitch are marketable articles, and to ob- 
tain these the trees have been mercilessly destroyed. 


CYPRIAN WOODS AND FORESTS. 129 


Operations are commenced by stripping off the bark 
on one side, the finest trees being always selected, 
as high as the man can reach, and the resin taken. 
Fire is then applied to the base of the trunk, and a 
few hours suffice to lay it low. The branches are 
then lopped off, and, with portions of the trunk, are 
heaped into a roughly constructed oven formed of 
quarried stone. Fire is then applied to the wood 
and the resin pours forth into a little channel cut to 
receive it. The first-fruits of this process is called 
kolophonium, and the second resin, whilst the last 
result forms a kind of tar. Half the resin is, of 
course, wasted in this rough process, and when the 
devastators have taken of the best the hill-side af- 
fords, they climb down to another green and Juxurt 
ant spot, there to recommence their work of destruc- 
tion. A sort of mania for this wanton mischief 
seems actually to possess the Cypriotes. Quarrels 
are of constant occurrence between the inhabitants 
of different villages and communities, and no better 
way to avenge themselves occurs to the contending 
parties than to burn down and hack each other’s 
trees under the concealment of night. To burn 
down a fine tree, merely for the pleasure of seeing 
and hearing it crackle and blaze, is an amusement 
constantly practiced by the ignorant and unreflect- 
ing shepherds as they lounge away their days upon 
the mountain side. I made many attempts to open 
the eyes of the people to the utter folly of such a 


130 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


course of action, and was generally met with the 
answer that it was done by the wish of the Turkish 
Government. The Cypriotes have become so accus- 
tomed to attribute every evil of their lives to this 
source, that they actually appear to consider their 
late rulers responsible for their own reckless indo- 
lence. 

In order to restore the forests of Cyprus to their 
pristine luxuriance only one course can be adopted: 
All woods and forests must be put under the im- 
mediate protection of Government, and every act of 
wanton destruction made punishable. The present 
trade in resin must be entirely put down, or only 
permitted under heavy restrictions. Should this 
course be pursued under British rule many districts 
will rapidly prove its wisdom. Whole tracts of 
country, I fear, must be entirely replanted. The 
land around the villages should be allotted to the 
inhabitants, and boundary lines permanently fixed. 
A little encouragement from their priests and school- 
masters would induce the vain and envious Cypri- 
otes to vie with each other in the cultivation of their 
new possessions. I had a long and interesting con- 
versation on this subject with the late governor of 
Cyprus, a most enlightened and high-minded gen- 
tleman. His opinions on this point were not less 
decided than my own as to the imperative necessity 
of replanting. and cultivating the Cyprian woods 
and forests if the island is ever again to rise from 


CYPRIAN WOODS AND FORESTS.- 131 


her present degraded condition. If this is not done, 
rivers and streamlets will year by year dwindle 
away, and waste ground entirely take the place 
of what were once well-watered plains. The pacha 
strongly urged the desirability of introducing the 
eucalyptus upon all the plains and the table rocks 
before alluded to. I inquired if this was likely to 
be done, but my only answer was a deep sigh. 


CHAPTER XV. 
PLAGUES OF LOCUSTS. 


Happity for this unfortunate island, the plagues 
of locusts which formerly were very common, are 
now unknown. An old chronicle informs us that 
from the year 1411 to 1413 every tree in the coun- 
try was perfectly leafless. During the last century, 
this terrible secourge—which came with the north 
wind from the Caramanian mountains—appeared 
every few years, and was principally attributable to 
the fact that in the neglected state of the country, 
these pests of the farmers were perfectly unmo- 
lested, and having once taken possession of the 
eastern table lands, laid their eggs there from sea- 
son to season. 

When locusts are first hatched, at the end of 
March, they are no larger than spring-tails, and con- 
gregate in innumerable myriads upon every bush 
and plant. A fortnight later, when they have 
twice changed their skins, they are fully half a 
finger long, and have already commenced their hop- 
ping and creeping westward, destroying every leaf 
as they pass, In the next fortnight they again cast 


their skins twice, and have their wings fully de- 
132 


PLAGUES OF LOCUSTS. 133 


veloped. Now commences their triumphant prog- 
ress, and the air is filled with the rushing sound of 
their destructive presence. Their rapacity is sim- 
ply marvelous; fields of corn are devoured to the 
very roots, and within a few minutes after their ap- 
pearance, fruitful gardens are entirely laid waste. 
Every edible thing is destroyed, and it is not at all 
uncommon for these hideous swarms to enter the 
houses and devour everything that they obtain ae- 
cess to. The work of devastation ended, they fall 
dead in thousands of thousands on the sea-shore and 
open country, filling the air with their pestiferous 
breath. 

In the present day, Cyprus is mercifully entirely 
free from this overwhelming plague. This happy 
state of things was brought about, partly, by the 
energy of the then ruling Turkish pacha, who com- 
manded that a certain measure of locusts should be 
collected by every one for the Government and then 
buried. The whole population were at once awak- 
ened to the urgency of the case. Trees and shrubs 
were set on fire whilst their devouring host passed 
over, and soldiers, horses, and oxen were called into 
requisition to stamp out the enemy. ‘The districts 
where the eggs lay were plowed, and no stone 
left unturned to render the general purification as 
complete as possible. Only money and people 
were wanting, to make the attempt sufficiently gen- 
eral. 


134 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESORIPTIVE. 


At this crisis, a large landowner, M. Mattei, resid- 
ing at Larnaka, hit upon a simple plan of ridding 
the country of this annual pestilence. It had been 
observed that a locust could not ascend a smooth sur- 
face. The walls of Nikosia to a certain height were 
therefore made smooth and whitewashed. Mattei 
had also calculated that, even when fully winged, 
the creatures were compelled to seek the earth at 
short intervals, and continue their way by creeping 
and hopping. He caused ditches to be dug and 
behind these, strips of linen and oil-cloth were 
stretched in such a manner as to form low walls; or 
slight partitions of planks or other smooth materials 
were erected. Behind these, other ditches and simi. 
lar walls were made at given distances. The locusts 
came, and finding it impossible to scale these arti- 
ficial walls, fell in masses into the ditches dug for 
their reception, where they were either covered with 
earth, and at once destroyed, or were shoveled out, 
thrown into sacks, and buried in other spots. Such 
as managed to rise above the first wall, rarely got 
over the second, and in no instance reached the 
third intrenchment. ‘This simple method of freeing 
the country of these terrible pests, which was de- 
scribed to me by M. Mattei himself, was at first 
only tried about Larnaka and Nikesia, but so ex. 
traordinary was the success of this ingenious experi- 
ment that the example was shortly followed all over 
the island, with the most satisfactory results, 


CHAPTER XVI. 
CHRYSOROGIATISSA, 


As we gradually emerged into the open country, 
I recognized our geographical position, and expe- 
rienced fresh astonishment at the number of fine 
streams, by which, if proper justice were done to 
them, the island would be once more readily fertil- 
ized. From this place we observed numerous tribu- 
taries of the ancient Lycopotamos (River Kurio), 
which flows into the sea at Episkopi (Curium), and 
of the Keysoypotamos (River Diorizos), which dis- 
charges its waters near Kuklia (Palea Paphos), and 
a little farther on passed the principal branch of 
the latter river. Every mountain gully and. valley 
seemed filled with the sound of rippling water, and 
I could not but compare the whole range of hills, 
to one huge rocky spring or reservoir. 

At this season, the country was saturated with 
the late snows and winter rains, but in summer, 
doubtless, these numerous sources rapidly dry up 
under the burning sun, and the earth again becomes 
scorched and arid. From the eminence upon which 
I stood, I could see innumerable streamlets coursing 


down the sides of the mountains, which extended 
135 


136 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


their undulating brown-tinted declivities as far as 
the eye could reach. In the distance, on our right 
hand, we saw the monastery of Kikku (the richest 
and most extensive cloister in the island, and the 
very stronghold of Cyprian brotherhoods), towering 
like a pyramid into the air. This monastery is four 
or five leagues from Troaditissa, and is perched so 
high on the upper ridge of the mountains as to be 
very difficult of access. This does not prevent nu- 
merous pilgrims visiting her shrine, which possesses 
a very valuable and ancient picture of the Ma- 
donna. 

Toward evening we reached the village of Pana- 
gia, and again found all the inhabitants assembled 
around their church; on this occasion, however, old 
and young were enjoying a little social intercourse. 
The men and women chatting and laughing, whilst 
the youngsters sported around under the shadow of 
the trees, and lent an animated charm to the scene. 
Again I could not fail to remark that almost every 
kind of fruit tree flourishes, and bears good fruit in 
a wild state. Mulberries, apricots, almonds, and 
cherries were here in great profusion. 

Our arrival at the monastery of Chry sorogiatissa, 
which was delayed until after dark, did not appear 
to please the worthy brothers. Monks and servants 
were all in bed; but after much knocking and de- 
lay, amonk and negro appeared, who admitted us 
- and brought out some bread and bony goats’ flesh 


CHRYSOROGIATISSA. 137 


for our delectation. Next morning, when I left m 
hard and comfortless bed, I found that both cloister 
and mountain were enveloped in a thick white 
mist. ‘This monastery, which for size ranks next to 
Kikku, contains fifteen monks, and employs fifteen 
servants, who cultivate part of the land belonging 
to the monastery, the rest is let out on lease. All 
the Cyprian cloisters are richly endowed, and are re- 
quired to pay but few taxes to Government ; but in 
spite of this wealth, these religious houses can bear 
no comparison with the abbeys of England. The 
church, which reminded me of the archiepiscopal 
chapel at Nikosia, has a fine figure of the Saviour, 
with nimbus, and right arm and hand of silver (the 
latter is raised as though in the act of blessing). 
Among the representations in wood carving, I no- 
ticed Eve holding the apple, and Adam with a fine 
moustache. 

As the mist disappeared I was able to observe 
the scene that lay beneath me. The cloister stands 
back toward the south upon the highest range, and 
commands a magnificent view. This monastery was 
formerly called Rogio. 

At breakfast, which was a much more appetizing 
repast than our supper could have led us to expect, 
we were honored by the presence of the Father-Ab- 
bot, who came accompanied by the negro and an- 
other servant. From him I learnt that this place 
had formerly been the seat of the bishopric, until 


138 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


about thirty years ago, when the bishop preferred 
removing his residence to the more busy town of 
Baffo. This worthy priest also gave me some valu- 
able information concerning the present deserted 
state of the surrounding districts, For seven leagues, 
north, south, and west, the country, he informed me, 
was almost uninhabited. 

Whilst I was chatting with the friendly abbot, 
my dragoman appeared with consternation written 
on every feature. The whole mountains he assured 
me, were infested by robber hordes; Michaili, my 
horse boy, substantiated the statement, and both 
refused to leave the monastery. On inquiry I found 
that three men had been making requisitions on the 
cloister at Troaditissa, and after other acts of vio-’ 
lence had been lodged in the jail at Nikosia. This 
prison, which is situated beneath the late governor's 
palace, often contains as many as a thousand con- 
victs, guarded by a strong force of police. In the 
centre of this square is a forlorn-looking tree, from 
the branches of which many wretches have been 
hanged by order of the Governor-General of Cyprus. 
At the present day the governor cannot put a man 
to death without special orders from Constantino- 
ple; when this order arrives a policeman is sum: 
moned, whose duty it is to pass a rope round the 
victim’s neck, and, without more ado, to drag him 
to the fatal tree, we he is left ee for sev- 
eral hours after life is extinct. 


CHRYSOROGIATISSA. 139 


Whilst upon the subject of Cyprian prisoners, we 
must not fail to lay before our readers the great 
severity of punishment now being undergone by an 
unfortunate now in the fortress of Famagusta. To 
Mrs. Cesnola, the amiable wife of the well-known 
author from whom we quote, the unhappy man was 
indebted for obtaining some mitigation of his suffer- 
ings. 

It is scarcely too much to hope that under British 
rule these terrible dungeons may be investigated, 
and the hands of mercy in many instances extended 
to their suffering occupants. 3 

“On one occasion,” writes the general, “when 
visiting the armory of the prison, the attention of 
the ladies of my party was attracted to some trail- 
ing crimson flowers which overhung a parapet. ‘To 
their astonishment a short, broad-shouldered man 
who had remained near them, and who had attracted 
the attention of all, by his commanding figure and 
fine, manly face, sprang to the parapet with the 
agility of a cat, broke off some of the flowers, and 
returning, presented a spray to each of the ladies 
with the utmost grace. As he did so, they ob- 
served to their horror that he was shackled with 
heavy iron chains from the wrist to the ankle.” 

His large, sad blue eyes, and hair prematurely 
- streaked with gray, seemed to plead in his favor, 
and on inquiring his crime the general learned that 
he was no less a personage than the celebrated 


140 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


Kattirdje Janni, the Robin Hood of the Levant. 
This robber chief, it is stated, never committed a 
murder, or permitted one to be perpetrated by his 
band. It appears, that whilst in the service of a 
gentleman in Smyrna he fell in love with his mas- 
ter’s daughter, with whom he planned an elopement, 
but having been betrayed, he was overtaken and 
thrown into prison. From thence he escaped into 
the mountains, near the ruins of Ephesus, and en- 
tered upon the wild career which finally brought 
him to Famagusta. He and his band were in the 
habit of lying in wait for the parties who they 
knew were traveling with large sums of money, and 
kindly relieving them of their charge. They also 
frequently captured persons of wealth and detained 
them until a ransom had been paid. Kattirdje 
Janni would often give this money in alms to the 
poor, and we are told he presented about one thou- 
sand young Greek girls with marriage portions, 
No one ever dreamed of informing against him, 
owing to a superstitious belief amongst the peas- 
ants that evil would befall the man who did so, and 
all attempts of the government to take any of the 
band were long futile. | 

“At the time of the Crimean war, whilst the 
English army was at Smyrna, five hundred soidiers 
went out, assisted by the Turks, in order to secure 
him, but were entirely unsuccessful. The following 
authentic incident will testify to the boldness of 


CHRYSOROGIATISSA. 141 


this robber chief, and the terror in which he was 
held. One evening, when a family near Smyrna 
were sitting at supper, they were amazed at behold-’ 
ing twelve men armed to the teeth enter. the apart- 
ment, headed by the bold outlaw. These uninvited 
guests quietly seated themselves, remarking that 
they would wait until the family had finished eat- 
ing, and then they would have some supper. When 
Kattirdje Janni had finished his repast, he told his 
trembling host that he and his family were hence- 
forth free to hunt and travel where they liked, 
as he, Kattirdje Janni, never forgot a kindness. 

“Tiring of this wild life, he gave himself up to 
the Turkish authorities, on the understanding that 
he was to be exiled to Cyprus, and not otherwise 
punished, The Turks would probably have been 
merciful to him, but, unfortunately, a young French- 
man, connected with the consulate of Smyrna, had 
been very badly used by his band. On this ac- 
count the French ambassador insisted, that Kattirdje 
Janni should be imprisoned and treated in the most 
rigorous manner. He was immured in a dungeon, 
and for seven years chained like a wild beast to the 
walls of his cell. He was afterward removed to 
the fortress of Famagusta, where he is still con- 
fined.” 

The two superiors of the monastery accompanied 
me to the gates, where I found eight stalwart gray- 
bearded brothers waiting to bid me farewell. I 


142 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


could not refrain from commenting on their fine 
figures, when they laughingly assured me there were 
many more of their stamp to be found in these 
mountains. Their faces were sunburnt and ruddy, 
and contrasted strangely with the white robes of 
their order. I may here mention that these moun- 
taineers love their native ‘hills with an ardor not 
to be surpassed by any people in the world. As 
we descended the steep face of the mountain the 
whole scene was still enveloped in a thick mist. 
At the bottom we saw two Turkish women tending 
their cows, and looking in their white veils like a 
couple of substantial ghosts. About a league and 
a half farther on, we passed a deserted church, 
which was perched upon a rock, and completely in 
ruins. We also observed some sheep, with broad 
flat tails, grazing on the mountain side. During 
the whole of this journey to the coast I could read- 
ily have imagined I was traveling over one of the 
rocky parts of Northern Germany, whilst the scenery 
to the north-east, with its craggy peaks, strongly 
recalled to my remembrance some parts of the Vos- 
ges mountains. I must, however, admit that the 
Cyprian scenery is decidedly finer than that of 
Upper Alsace. Such human habitations as we 
passed were miserable in the extreme; mere mud- 
roofed huts with a small aperture to admit of in- 
gress and egress. These structures closely resemble 
those I have seen in the north parts of Samothrace, 




















































































































‘ii a 
ina 


i 


mil 





VIEW BETWEEN LEVKOSIA AND CERINIA. 





CHRYSOROGIATISSA. 143 


but the latter are somewhat larger and certainly 
cleaner. 

After four hours’ hard riding we at length de- 
scended into a narrow valley which opened upon 
the plains beyond, and afforded us a good view of 
the sea, with its yellowish-green coast. Our journey 
through the mountains was almost over, and on the 
whole, I must confess to a feeling of disappoint- 
ment, as I looked back over allI had seen. During 
the last four days the neglected state of the country 
and the wretched condition of its people seemed to 
have thrown a veil of depression and melancholy 
over every spot I visited, whilst even the grand and 
imposing mountain ranges I had traversed, would 
not bear comparison with those of Crete or the 
Canary Islands. 

As we now approached the coast I saw before 
me the portion of country formerly dedicated to 
the Goddess of Beauty. This tract, which is about 
one and a half leagues broad, extends for three or 
four leagues along the shore, and slopes gently to 
the sea. Directly before me lay the small town of 
Ktima, whilst somewhat lower down, nestled a small 
fort. On this spot formerly stood the city of New 
Paphos, and on the left, about two leagues distant, 
the village of Kuklia, which stands upon the site of 
Old Paphos. The scenery at this spot possesses 
much quiet beauty. In the rear tower the dark 
hills, looking down upon an extensive open tract of 


144 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


fields, whilst in front spreads the sea, the waters of 
which encroach upon the land in a picturesque ya- 
riety of curves and tiny bays. At this spot, the 
ocean-born goddess was supposed to have been 
borne upon the waves to shore, and here, upon a 
slight eminence, the most famous and ancient of her 
numerous temples was erected. Crowds of pilgrims 
and eager worshippers hurried to the spot and joined 
in the excited processions that passed backward and 
forward between Old and New Paphos. 


CHAPTER XVIL 
THE TEMPLE OF VENUS. 


My journey terminated for the present at the 
house of the Bishop of Baffo, who resides in Ktima. 
The bishop, who is a young and stately man, re- 
ceived me with the greatest kindness and affability. 
He at once conducted me to a luxurious apartment, 
where we seated ourselves upon soft cushions placed 
on a costly Turkey carpet, and my host resumed 
the ten feet long chibouk, filled with choice tobacco, 
he had been smoking when I was announced, and 
courteously offered another to me. It was quite 
evident the worthy bishop was a man of substance, 
and thoroughly enjoyed the good things of this life. 
From the roof of the house I obtained a magnificent 
view of the sea and neighboring coast. 

The Temple of Venus, formerly a great object of 
interest on this coast, was situated on a small hill at 
a distance of about twenty minutes’ walk from the 
sea. Some parts of its colossal walls are still stand- 
ing, defying time and the stone-cutter, although 
badly chipped by the latter. The stones, of which 
these walls are built, are most gigantic, one of them 


being fifteen feet ten inches in length, by seven feet 
7 145 


146 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


eleven inches in width, and two feet five inches in 
thickness. Strange to say, the stone was not quar- 
ried in Cyprus, but isa kind of blue granite which 
must have been imported from either Cilicia, or 
Egypt. This temple, us rebuilt by Vespasian, seems 
to have occupied the same area as the former one, 
and was surrounded by a peribolos, or outer wall. 
Of this wall, a few huge blocks are now only extant. 
On the west of this outer wall there was a gateway, 
still plainly visible; its width was seventeen feet 
nine inches: the two sockets for the pivots on which 
the doors swung are of the following dimensions— 
length six inches, width four and a half inches, depth 
three and a half inches. The south-east wall was 
excavated, and its whole length ascertained to be - 
69) feet, The length of the west side was only 
traced as far as 272 feet, as the modern houses of 
Kuklia were erected above it; the length of the 
other two sides were also for the same reason not 
ascertained. The walls of the temple itself, which 
are constructed of the same kind of blue granite, but 
not in such large blocks, were only traced with 
much difficulty, and although very little is to be 
seen above the surface, yet strange to say, the four 
corner-stones are still standing. The north-east 
corner-stone forms part of the wall of a house in 
Kuklia, while the north-west corner-stone stands in” 
a cross street of the village by itself; the south- 
east corner-stone stands also by itself in the open 


THE TEMPLE OF VENUS. 147 


field, where the Christian population of Kuklia burn 
lamps and little wax candles, but in honor of whom, 
or for what purpose, is uncertain. The south-west 
corner-stone,likewise, forms part of a modern dwell- 
ing-house. 

The temple was oblong, and of the following di- 
mensions: the eastern and western walls measured 
221 feet, and the two other sides 167 feet. 

The north-west corner-stone has a hole in it thir- 
teen inches in diameter, and a similar hole also exists 
in the south-west corner of the outer wall. As this 
temple possessed an oracle, it is more than probable 
that the use of these strange holes was connected 
with it. Ifa person stand upon one of these huge 
perforated stones, he can produce a clear and fine 
echo of a sentence of three or four words, if pro- 
nounced in a distinct but moderate tone of voice. 

Abundant indications of mosaic pavement, both in 
the area of the temple and in the court-yard, exist, 
where can be found many prettily-designed pieces 
of yarious colors—yellow, white, red, rose-color, and 
brown. About three feet beneath these mosaics 
were also found several large pedestals of colossal 
statues, bearing Greek inscriptions, and many other 
pedestals were lying about, possibly having been 
left by former excavators; most of those, which 
Cesnola discovered under the mosaics, were of the 
same kind of stone as that of which the walls of 
the temple were built, but of a finer grain. The in- 


148 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


scriptions were of the Ptolemaic period, from which 
is probable that Vespasian only repaired the Tem- 
ple of Paphos, or if he rebuilt it entirely, it was with 
the former stones. The foundations are only six 
and a half feet deep, but upon having other borings 
made another foundation was discovered beneath, 
but evidently of an earlier period and very massive. 
Singular to say, in boring no sculptured remains 
were found, and but few fragments of pottery.* 

Tacitus gives us the following representation of 
the sacrificial rites employed in this temple. 

“The victims to be sacrificed must be carefully 
selected, males only being chosen. The safest augu- 
ries are obtained from the entrails of goats. It is for- 
hidden to sprinkle blood upon the floor of the tem- 
ple, and the altar must be purified with prayer and 
fire. The image of the goddess is not in human 
shape, but is a rounded stone tapering upward like 
acone. Why such a shape should be adopted is 
not clearly explained.” At that time, therefore, the 
worship of this goddess was shrouded in mysteri- 
ous secresy. The people only knew that it had been 
handed down to them from very ancient times. The 





* We are indebted to General Cesnola’s valuable work on the anti- 
quities of Cyprus for a principal part of the above facts respecting the 
ruins of the Temple of Venus. Reference to his high authority was 
indispensable, and we have thought it best to give in a great measure 
his own words, instead of laying his account before the public in a 
garbled form.—M, A, J. 


THE TEMPLE OF VENUS. 149 


only answer they received to their inquiries why it 
was so, being “It is a mystery.” 

We learn from other sources that this cone- 
shaped stone, erected in the innermost sanctuary of 
the temple, was black. Upon the festivals of the 
great goddess the stone was carefully washed by 
the priestesses, and wiped dry with clean towels: 
possibly its ugliness was set off by golden orna- 
ments and jewels. In the darkness surrounding the 
Cyprian deity other mysteries were concealed, ad- 
mission to which was doubtless only obtainable at 
a high price. Three ruined walls and a few frag- 
ments of an ancient building, scattered here and 
there over great heaps of rubbish, are all that re- 
main of what once was Paphos. The stones of 
which it was built have disappeared long ages ago, 
used, probably, as materials wherewith to build the 
lordly castles of the Middle Ages, or broken in 
pieces for the construction of humbler edifices. 

During the period that the island was occupied 
by the Franks, a new city sprang up on the site 
of ancient Paphos, which has also disappeared ; but 
of this a ruined church, now used as a cattle-shed, 
is all that remains. Still, melancholy as is the 
present condition of the spot, so suggestive are the 
general features of the locality, that it is not diffi- 
cult to reconstruct the beautiful landscape it once 
presented. The temple was situated upon a broad 
eminence which sloped gently toward the sea, 


150 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


which formed, as it were, a border to the picture. 
The slope was all covered with luxuriant vegeta- 
tion. 

Toward the interior of the country are a few. 
outlying hills, backed by picturesque mountain 
scenery of a much grander character than at Baffo. 
As I looked upon them the sky became overcast, 
and the sea overspread by long masses of rain 
clouds, through which at intervals streamed the 
rays of the western sun, which falling on the water, 
covered its surface with gleams of dazzling bright- 
ness. Some portions of the lovely scene seemed 
bathed in gold, only made more conspicuous by the 
darker tints of deepest blue and purple. The play 
of light and shade was continually changing, form-- 
ing altogether a scene of tranquil loveliness not 
easily to be forgotten. I should not like, however, 
to live here alone. Every place to which the repu- 
tation of antiquity attaches itself, has its guide and 
dealer in curiosities, although he knows no more 
about them than the crows know about Sunday. 
The man who accompanied me in my explorations 
came, as he said, from Mitylene, and was educated 
enough to be able to quote the poems and rhapso- 
dies of Sappho. The owner of a neighboring 
farm here made his appearance, a stately Turk, in 
frock-coat and boots, with a head of hair like that 
of a plow-boy. We went together, about a quar- 
ter of an hour’s walk, to see the “Queen's Cave” 


THE TEMPLE OF VENUS. 151 


(exnlaiov 175 py Aivas), Which was upon his estate, 
This gentleman informed me that until about ten 
years previously it had been almost entirely filled 
up, but that when the French came to explore, he 
had had it opened. Nothing, however, was found 
in it except a great stone slab, about five feet 
square, which was leaning against one of the walls, 
and was covered with inscriptions on both sides. 
The Frenchman, after a great deal of trouble, suc- 
ceeded in getting it out. It was, however, so heavy 
that they broke it to pieces, before taking it with 
them in their boat. Cesnola tells us that on de- 
scending into the cave he found that it consisted of 
four chambers or tombs excavated one behind the 
other in the solid rock. Each of the two first con- 
tained four graves; the third had fewer, and in the 
last and smallest there were none. “ We found,” 
he continues, “several other tombs upon the side of 
the hill, some of them open and some of them filled 
up. My guide told me that before his time they 
chad been thoroughly ransacked, and their contents, 
which consisted of several gold chains and sundry 
earthenware vessels, were taken away. There were 
also remains of buildings upon the highest point of 
the hill, around the foundations of which considera- 
ble excavations had been made, revealing, that the 
edifice had been a square tower, one side of which 
had been cleared of rubbish, but the hoped-for 
treasures, which had been the incentive to all this 


152 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


labor, had not been forthcoming. The tower seems 
to have nothing in common with the other building, 
and appears to have been simply a watch-tower. 
used in former times to give warning of the ap- 
proach of pirates.” 

With still increasing pleasure, I continued to 
gaze upon the vernal landscape in which all the 
great historical features of the place were distinct- 
ly traceable, and I would willingly have lingered 
longer upon this enchanting spot, had I not been 
recalled to more practical matters by my landlord, 
who summoned me to table, where I was soon en- 
joying a meal consisting of excellent soup, fresh 
eggs, maccaroni, and bean salad, together with some 
exceedingly good wine. 

After dinner the landlord took a seat beside us 
upon the terraced roof of the house, and we enjoyed 
iu most delightful evening. Close to us, in a neigh- 
boring court-yard, sat a Turkish family, who laughed 
and joked, apparently in high spirits. Our hostess 
was still quite a young girl, and very pretty, her 
large flashing eyes, white glistening teeth, and deli- 
cately-shaped limbs, formed quite a picture. At 
first, when spoken to, she seemed embarrassed and 
bashful, and only giggled, but as conversation went 
on she became more companionable, seated herself 
upon the doorstep, ard chatted away merrily. It 
is a pity that in these Eastern climes female beauty 
is se evanescent; even before girlhood is passed 


THE TEMPLE OF VENUS. 153 


their charms have disappeared, leaving nothing be- 
hind but a tawny skeleton. 

The night was delightful, the air balmy and soft, 
and each breath of wind seemed to bring with it 
the perfume of a thousand flowers. The silver 
stars so sparkled and flashed in the clearness of the 
atmosphere that they seemed to have descended 
toward the earth. 

Owing to the warmth of the night the door of 
my apartmeut was open, and as I lay in bed con. 
templating the dark blue sky, I could fancy that my 
vision penetrated beyond the stars into the depths 
of the firmament. My mind was so filled with re- 
flections on the worship of the Cyprian goddess that 
I could not sleep. Scenes that I, not long before, 
had witnessed in Egypt, duriug the feast of Mach- 
mal, presented themselves vividly to my mind. Ac- 
cording to aucient custom the ruler of Cairo sends 
every year a valuable piece of cloth, in which to 
wrap the holy stone, the Caaba. The setting-out 
of the great caravan which bears,this cloth to its 
destination is celebrated by a general festival, dur- 
ing the continuance of which the fanaticism of the 
Mohammedans fully displays itself. It was impos- 
sible to think of the great black meteoric stone, and 
the ceremonies connected with it, without being 
forcibly reminded of the cone-shaped stone wor- 
shipped with similar rites by the Paphian priest- 
hood. The Caaba stands surrounded by a wall, 


154 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


exactly as did the Cyprian idol: even the doves of 
Venus are not wanting in the temple court of the 
Caaba, where they are regarded as sacred birds, 
In the sanctuary of Jupiter Ammon, in the Lybian 
Desert, the idol was a stone of a conical shape, 
ornamented with emeralds and other jewels. In 
the temple at Delphos a similar stone was wor- 
shipped, was daily anointed with oil, and on high fes- 
tivals was wrapped in white wool. In the same man- 
ner we find that in ancient temples, more especially 
in Syria and Asia Minor, Bethylia were worshipped; 
sacred stones, whose name, derived from Bethel 
(the place of God), indicates their Semitic origin; 
these stones were all meteoric, and it is natural 
enough that when such masses have fallen amid 
thunder and lightning, they should be believed to 
be of heavenly origin, and to possess extraordinary 
attributes. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 
SUMMER RESIDENCE IN CYPRUS. 


In an account given by General Cesnola of a sim- 
ilar journey to mine, across a portion of the island, 
he states that travelers in Cyprus will find it much 
more convenient to purchase than to hire animals, 
and speaks in high terms of the well-broken mules 
and donkeys he found. These donkeys, of a breed 
peculiar to Cyprus, are glossy and sleek, with large 
eyes; they are very intelligent and can travel as 
fast as a mule. 

The same authority tells us the muleteers are as 
a class excellent and trustworthy, even under the 
temptation of conveying large sums of money from 
one town to the other. When a native is about to 
proceed on a journey he goes to the khan, a kind of 
inn, and there selects a mule to his liking, and bar- 
gains with the owner of it for a lump sum for the 
- entire trip, or ata rate of somucha day. The latter 
mode is preferable, for should the mule prove un- 
suitable, the traveler would be at liberty to change 
it on the road if he found a better. The former 
method, however, is generally adopted by the na- 


tives for the sake of economy. He appoints the 
155 


156 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


hour at which he desires to start, and the muleteer 
as a rule arrives at the house an hour or two later, 
A kind of native saddle is placed on the back of the 
mule, called “ stratouri,’ across which are hung, in 
such a manner as not to incommode the traveler, 
two large canvas bags, which contain his private 
effects, and provisions for the first day’s journey. 
Several colored blankets or quilts, according to the 
season, are then piled on the stratouri to be used as 
a bed at night. 

The muleteer, who acts also as guide, is mounted 
upon a small but strong donkey in the same fashion 
as the traveler, and carries the extra baggage of the 
latter, besides food for himself, provender for both 
animals, and often several parcels intrusted for de- 
livery to his care. At first it seemed to me cruel to 
see such little animals so overloaded, but I soon be- 
came convinced that the Cyprian donkey is stronger, 
and resists the fatigue of a long journey better than 
a mule. 

When everything is in readiness for departure, 
the traveler is helped to ascend to the top of his 
quilts, and two rusty stirrups attached to the ex- 
tremities of a rope are handed him, into which he 
introduces his feet. By sitting upon the rope, he is 
enabled to keep his equilibrium; once safely perched 
he opens a yellow cotton umbrella, lights his cigar- 
ette, receives the blessings of his household, and 
starts upon his journey. 


SUMMER RESIDENCE IN CYPRUS. 157 


The Cypriotes are in general a frugal people, 
and when traveling, can accommodate themselves to 
almost every exigency. More than once during my 
excursions in the island I have found, on entering a 
small village, some wealthy merchant of my ae- 
quaintance, seated cross-legged on the threshold of a 
hut, with a straw tray, resembling the lid of a 
basket, placed before him, on which were a few 
black olives, a hard piece of brown bread, and some 
sour milk, apparently enjoying his repast. It is no 
uncommon thing to find the muleteer seated opposite 
the merchant, eating from the same dish, and drink- 
ing from the same jug, a glass being, in the interior 
of the island, considered a useless luxury. 

Whilst giving our readers the benefit of the above 
interesting particulars we cannot refrain from quot- 
ing General Cesnola’s own account of his summer 
residence in the interior of the island. The question 
of the possibility of enjoying life in our new posses- 
sion is now so much discussed, that the testimony 
of a gentleman, who has recently resided in the 
island for ten years, must carry much weight. 

“On the occasion of a visit to Nikosia, the capital 
of the island, I had passed a night in the village of 
Dali, which is about half-way between Nikosia and 
Larnaka, and had remarked on its outskirts a grove 
of lemon and orange trees, amidst which nestled a 
small white cottage, connected with several out- 
buildings. This, I decided, might be converted into 


158 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


a pleasant retreat, and soon induced the proprietor 
to cede it to us for small remuneration during the 
hot ‘season. This he did the more readily, as the 
peasants live almost entirely out of doors from June 
to September, it rarely ever happening that a drop 
of dew, and almost never a drop of rain, falls dur- 
ing these months. The Cypriotes place their beds 
under the trees, making the branches of the latter 
do duty as clothes-press and larder. They will fre- 
quently throw a handkerchief on the ground and lay 
their infants to sleep upon it, satisfied that neither 
moisture nor creeping thing will harm the child, for 
Dali is wonderfully free from noxious reptiles. 
“'This simple abode became our summer resort for 
several years. It was surrounded by about six 
acres of ground, laid out in alleys of lemon and 


of, 
st 


orange trees, and the favorite caisha,* from the 
blossoms of which exhaled a delightful perfume. 
Two noble walnut-trees overshadowed the tradi- 
tional alakah,+ and extended their shade to our out- 
of-door saloon, where we sat the day long, reading, 
writing, and chatting, with the grateful breeze at all 
hours coming through the long verdant alleys, hung 
with luscious fruit. A small rivulet of the purest 
water found its way from cold sources to the feet of 
these walnut-trees, the broad leafy branches of which 
formed the ceiling of our drawing-room, and being 





| * A delicious species of nectarine. + The Oriental or common well. 


SUMMER RESIDENCE IN CYPRUS. 159 


blocked by a pile of rough stones, tumbled, cascade 
fashion, into a basin, scooped out to receive it, 
which served as our wine cooler and refrigerator. 
We soon adopted the housekeeping system of the 
peasants, and hung our plate-baskets and table-linen 
among the trees; and spreading out the thick mats 
of the country with a wooden settle, dining-table, 
and some rough chairs, we soon arranged a dining- 
hall, where our Turkish attendants served us with 
as much attention as if at a state dinner, though not 
with quite the same ceremony. A little farther on 
a few Turkish rugs and divans formed the reception 
room of state for the notables of Dali, consisting of 
an old cadi, an illiterate Greek priest, and three 
wealthy Turks of Potamia. who inhabited what was 
once a royal palace, and the summer residence of 
the Lusignan queens.” 

We cannot refrain from quoting a still stronger 
testimony borne by this gentleman to the charms of 
this beautiful island as a summer residence: 

“Having obtained a six months’ leave of absence, 
we took our last walk in the environs of Larnaka, 
where the Marina* appears to its best advantage. 
Passing the Salines, and the ruins of Phaneromene 
on our right, we were soon in the fields, which were 
yet in all their vernal glory. Pink and white ane- 





* That portion of Larnaka which lies along the sea-shore is called the 
** Marina,” while Larnaka proper is about three-quarters of a mile in- 
land. 


160 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. © 


mones, dark blue irises, intensely scarlet poppies, 
golden Marguerites, and a thousand lovely blossoms, 
of which I do not even know the names, embroid- 
ered the plains with the most brilliant colors imag- 
inable. We crushed the wild thyme and mignon- 
ette beneath our feet at every step, yet they seemed 
to offer us their incense at parting. A torrid sun 
would soon leave all this a dreary waste. Mount 
Santa Croce seemed to follow us throughout our 
walk, ever changing in aspect, now cool and brown 
as clouds floated over it, now glowing with crimson 
in the setting sun. The lighted minarets of Larnaka, 
and the Marina, shone in the distance, and, as we 
neared the latter, we heard the voice of the muez- 
zin calling the faithful to prayer. As we entered 
our own spacious garden, which had been reclaimed 
from the sea-shore, with its lovely roses—such as 
bloom only in Cyprus—and its vine-colored walls, 
a slight shade of regret passed over us as we thought 
how soon neglect might turn the spot, then the ad- 
miration of visitors, once more into an unsightly 
waste. An extensive terrace overlooked the garden, 
and as we walked on it in the moonlight, a magical 
charm seemed to have been thrown on the scene, 
and on the rippling gleaming waves of the Mediter- 
ranean, so that while gazing we almost forgot the 
dark side of life in Cyprus, and a sense of tender- 
ness stole into our hearts for the land we were leay- 
ing on the morrow.” 


CHAPTER XIX. 
CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE. 


Ix Cyprus we encounter a population which es- 
sentially resembles the modern, rather than the an- 
cient Greek in character. 

One of the most pleasing features of the island is 
the every-day domestic life of its inhabitants. The ~ 
members of every family cling inseparably together, 
and share among themselves whatever good or evil 
fortune awaits them. To pay for the education of a 
son or brother parents and children will suffer both 
want and hunger. Brothers will not marry until 
their sisters are provided for, and it is often truly 
touching to see how the gray-headed fathers and 
mothers, who seem here to be particularly numerous, 
are honored and cared for by their children. 

Among the ancient Greeks the men allowed them- 
selves much freedom in love affairs and worshipped 
at the shrine of beauty. The women, on the con- 
trary, were chaste and modest, and lived retired, 
industriously employed in their household duties. 
Such are the Cyprian women at the present day. 
The influence of the female part of the community 


has, moreover, of late remarkably gaan Per- 
16 


162 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


haps among no other people do women hold a more 
influential position. The mother is the mistress of 
the household, and it is principally by her that the 
family is held together. It is a common saying, 
that men make laws, but women regulate the man- 
ners of a people. The laws, however, are dependent 
upon the manners, and the more strictly these latter 
are watched over, so much the better for the well- 
being of the state. The modern Greeks make the 
best sailors, and the most discreet and prudent men 
of business in the world; they are good hands at 
fine work, are fond of horticulture, and are skilled 
manufacturers and money-dealers. Although fond 
of the warm slopes and sunny climate of their na- 
tive land, they are ever ready to quit it at a mo-° 
ment’s notice to seek their fortune elsewhere. They 
are remarkable among all the dwellers in the East 
for their activity and the elasticity of their spirits, 
which nothing seems to subdue, and which, when 
repressed, is continually breaking out more cheer- 
fully and brightly than before, like their own sunny 
sky after the storm has passed away. They are 
fond of literature, and are delighted with a graceful 
expression, or a witty saying. They take an inter- 
est in everything and delight in talking and tell- 
ing tales. Their understanding and imagination, in 
short, are extraordinarily powerful and active. 

And now, having said so much on the bright side 
of their character, we must turn to their vices and 


CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE. 163 


faults. Their laughable conceit, which displays it- 
self in a thousand unexpected forms, might be passed 
over, as also the grasping avarice which is conspicu- 
ous in most of their dealings, for vanity may rise 
into ambition, and niggardliness be refined into 
praiseworthy economy, were their other vices not so 
numerous and so grave. In social life we may place 
falsehood and faithlessness, knavery and lying, at 
the head of the catalogue. Of insatiable covetous- 
ness, heartless robbery and implacable revenge, ex- 
amples are numberless. Justice is so totally set 
aside that, if a man be placed upon a jury, he is 
compelled to acquit the offender, because he thinks 
in his heart that he himself may shortly be placed 
in the same unfortunate predicament. 

If we are asked what is the political condition of 
Cyprus, we can only say that it is busied with small 
matters—in important affairs it is all baseness and 
subserviency. No one can deny to the modern 
Greeks the possession of political cunning. Never- 
theless, in the great and necessary virtue of obedi- 
ence, they are altogether wanting, and officers and 
soldiers will discuss and quarrel over political ques- 
tions, forgetting that it is the duty of the one to 
command and of the other to obey. No sooner is 
an important proclamation issued, than it becomes 
the subject of criticism and mockery, but no one 
thinks of obeying it. 

The modern Greek is one of the slyest, most ac- 


164 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


tive, and most persevering of rascals, but his efforts 
are all for the purpose of over-reaching his antago- 
nist, and cheating the state. In like manner, bare- 
faced simony is practiced throughout the Eastern 
churches. The whole country is full of combinations 
and parties, not employed in establishing principles, 
but merely in endeavoring to obtain power in order 
to reward their partisans with places and emoluments. 

These evils cast so deep a shadow over the mod- 
ern Greek that the few bright points remaining— 
hospitality, public spirit, courage, and patriotism— 
almost disappear in the general gloom. 

In ancient times the effeminacy and luxury of the 
Cypriotes had passed into a proverb. The worship 
of Venus assumed the character of unbridled sensu- 
ality, and the young of both sexes, brought up in 
the midst of these luxurious festivals, soon learnt to 
look upon. pleasure as the end and aim of their 
existence. 

Clearcus de Soli gives the following account of 
the effeminate manners of the Cyprian kings: He 
says, “ There were women attached to the household 
of the ladies of the royal family who were called 
‘Flatterers ;’ at a later date their name was changed 
to ‘Clemacides,’ because they were in the habit of 
curving their backs into a sort of step for the use of 
the ladies as they got into, and came down from 
their litters.” Clearcus speaks angrily of this ab- 
ject and despicable practice, which tended to increase 


CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE. 165 


the indolence and luxuriousness of the princesses 
who kept these women. “But,” he adds, “these 
‘Clemacides,’ after having spent the early part of 
their lives in the midst of luxury and refinement, 
are left to an old age of misery. Decency will not 
allow me to relate to what degree of libertinism 
these women brought the princesses and ladies of 
the court. I will only add that practicing upon 
themselves and upon others all sorts of abominable 
witcheraft, they offered by their shameful conduct 
a spectacle of the most repulsive vice.” 

Clearcus, too, has given us the following descrip- 
tion of a young Paphian king: “This young man 
carried the refinement of luxury to the extent of 
lying on a bed, or sofa with silver feet, overspread 
with a splendid carpet or rug; under his head were 
three pillows covered with very fine linen of a rich 
color, and handsomely trimmed. His feet rested 
upon two purple cushions, and he was dressed in a 
white robe. At some distance from the bed stood 
slaves and near the young king were his flatterers, 
men of good position.” Clearcus adds: “Each of 
these devoted himself in some way to add to the 
indolence of the prince. One seated at the foot of 
the bed had the young man’s feet resting upon his 
knees; another seated near the bed, bent over the 
hand which the king allowed him to caress, and 
gently stretched out one finger after another; the © 
third, who was highest in rank, stood at the head 


= 


166 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


leaning over the cushions and passing his left hand 
through the young prince’s hair, whilst with the 
right he gently waved a fan.” 

To such a height of notorious extravagance had 
the princes of Cyprus attained, that Antiphanes, a 
comic poet of Rhodes, wrote a most amusing comedy, 
in which he caricatured the folly of the Cypriotes.* 
Manners such as we have described had their origin 
in the luxurious example of neighboring Persian 
satraps, and were brought to the utmost refinement 
of self-indulgence by the subtle mind of the Greek. 





* In this play the King of Cyprus is described as reclining on a couch 
with doves flying over his head, and fanning him with their wings. 
Attendants were represented as standing around in order to keep the birds’ 
at a respectful distance from the prince. We mention this fact, as we 
have seen it recently stated that what was simply intended as a carica- 
ture was an actual custom in Cyprus. 


CHAPTER XX. 
CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE, 


Tue climate of Cyprus is just now the subject 
of so much discussion in England, that we cannot 
do better than lay the following facts before our 
readers, only premising that we have left our read- 
ers to decide between many slight discrepancies in 
the various statements. In most respects the tem- 
perature and climate of Cyprus are similar to that of 
the neighboring countries. The great heat of Syria 
is felt here, as also the violent winds and extreme 
dryness of Cilicia; but to compensate for this, there, 
are most refreshing sea breezes and night dews. 
During the summer, as in India, those who can 
afford it, seek the cool air of the mountains, return- 
ing to their homes in the plains and on the coast for 
the winter months, the cold at this season being far 
more seyere than (judging from the situation of Cy- 
prus) one would imagine. In the northern parts of 
the island, the icy winds from Taurus are keenly 
felt, and the summits of the Olympian range are en- 
tirely snow-capped. Old writers have said that the 
climate is unhealthy; in proof of this assertion, they. 


mention the epidemic which attacked the army of 
167 


168 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


St. Louis, in this island, in 1259, but many who 
have lived there are not of this opinion. 

Abbot Mariti, in his work “Travels in Cyprus,” 
says, “I must own that quartan fever is very preva- 
lent in this island, as in most parts of the Levant; 
but this is not altogether caused by the climate. 
While in Cyprus,” he continues, “I suffered ten 
whole months from an attack of this kind of fever, 
and I have since learnt, my own indiscretion was 
the cause of the long continuance of my ague.” The 
great heat of the climate occasions a continual per- 
spiration, and if, while this lasts, one subjects oneself ~ 
to the least chill the result is infallibly an attack of 
fever. Another cause is the immoderate use of 
strong liquors, and the eating of certain fruits, par- - 
ticularly cucumbers and melons. Natives of this 
country rarely escape this epidemic, more especially 
in summer, but they cure themselves without any 
other remedy than a little bleeding, thus allowing 
nature to act. I grant this method would not suc 
ceed in the case of Europeans, for to them the 
malady has its dangers, and needs rather careful 
treatment, but it can be cured by a rigid system of 
diet. The Greeks and Turks ward off an attack by 
continued horse exercise, and the latter adopt the 
not unpleasant remedy of a large glass of good 
Cyprian wine.” 

In Cyprus, as in almost all countries of the Levant, 
rain is periodical. It commences falling toward the 


CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE. 169 


middle of October, and continues until the end 
of January. February is a less rainy month, and 
the sky is sometimes cloudless. The author before 
quoted remarks that “toward the middle of March 
the rains commence heavily, and last till the end of 
April. May is a delightful month, the refreshing 
dews aid vegetation and temper the heat of June. 
After this season, the sun has quite a scorching 
power upon the ground, which is moistened by 
neither rain nor dew.” 

This state of things would be unbearable, were it 
not for the refreshing sea-breeze, which is felt on all 
shores of the Mediterranean. About the middle of 
September this wind ceases, and for six weeks the 
heat is excessive, until, toward the end of October, 
the sky becomes covered with rain clouds. Thus 
we see in the summer, the south wind is refreshing, 
because it is from the sea, and on the contrary, the 
north wind from Asia Minor brings all kinds of un- 
healthy vapors. True it is, that the northern parts 
of the island suffer less, because the wind has been 
partly cleared by its passage over the sea; but it is 
simply unendurable to the people of the southern 
districts, to whom it brings the parching heat of the 
hot dry countries, which it has scoured in crossing 
the Olympian chain. Should this wind rage for 
seven or eight days continuously, all vegetation is 
injured, every fruit-tree and plant withered, and 
the looked-for harvest wholly at an end. For this 

8 


170 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


reason, scarcity is so often felt in Cyprus, notwith- 
standing its fertility and good soil. These burning 
winds, and scorching heat, are the scourges of the 
country. 

The lower classes of Cypriotes wear large fig or 
cabbage-leaves upon their heads to protect them 
from the rays of the sun. Strict attention to clean- 
Jiness and careful avoidance of excess in stimulants 
are necessary in this island as elsewhere. 

It would seem that in the climate of Cyprus there 
must be something entirely different from that of 
all the three countries between which it lies. The 
climate is, however, subject to great changes; dur- 
ing one-third of the year, rain falls abundantly, and 
during a second third, it is as delightfully cool, and’ 
lovely, as on the coasts of Italy, whilst the rest of 
the year is as hot as in the desert of Sahara. 

During the winter season it rains incessantly ; 
about the middle of October, the rain clouds begin 
to obscure the sky, and from that time until Febru- 
ary the water falls down in abundance. To this 
succeeds an exquisite spring, bringing with it the 
perfumes of a thousand flowers, and a fresh and de- 
lightful atmosphere. 

About the middle of March rain again begins to 
fall in passing showers, which, although less violent 
than those of winter, continue with more or less in- 
termission until the middle of May, when they are 


replaced by the heavy dew which falls during the 


CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE. 171 


night. During this season, which lasts for about a 
quarter of a year, the country is a paradise, until at 
length comes summer with its burning heat. In 
June, all moisture seems to have departed from the 
atmosphere, and toward the end of the month, the 
heat is fearful, and the sky becomes a changeless 
expanse of glorious deep blue. Only from time to 
time, a fresh sea breeze finds its way to the land, to 
indulge the inhabitants with a fresh breath of air. 
The worst, however, has yet to come, for toward 
the end of September, even these light breezes die 
away. The air becomes thick and obscure, and the 
whole atmosphere damp and sultry. The grass and 
vegetation generally are dried up even to the roots, 
and the leaves fall from the trees, which now stretch 
out their naked arms like ghostly forms, scarcely 
visible through the surrounding fog. Not a drop 
of water remains in the brooks and river sources, 
and traveling is only possible during the night. 
Business is at a standstill, and the people do noth- 
ing but inquire how long it will be before the rain 
will come again. 

It is thought by many that the summer is hotter 
in Nikosia than it is in Cairo, notwithstanding that 
the sea and the snow-clad hil!s of Asia Minor are at 
so short a distance. I can only account for this cir- 
cumstance by the fact that in the valley of the 
Nile, when the water of the river is rising, there is 
always a gentle breeze perceptible, and moreover, 


172 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


from the broad expanse of water which covers the 
country, much more moisture is given off than in 
the drier atmosphere of Cyprus. 

Mariti tells us, that the intensity of the summer 
heat is often modified by a cooling wind called im- 
bat.* This wind, which generally commences blow- 
ing at two o’clock in the morning on the first day, 
increases till noon, then gradually falls, and toward 
three o’clock in the afternoon ceases entirely. The 
imbat, which begins early in summer, and continues 
until September, appears to last about an hour 
longer each succeeding day, for five days, when it 
recommences the five days’ course. If the horizon 
should be clear the wind will be weak, but if dark, 
heavy weather may be expected; occasionally a- 
dangerous north wind succeeds the imbat, which 
commences at seven o’clock in the morning, increases 
steadily till noon, and continues blowing till even- 
ing. Should this wind last for any length of time 
the crops suffer severely. 

The same authority mentions, that the cold is 
never so great as to necessitate fires in the houses, 
these being only kindled to obviate the effects of 
the excessive moisture. From this description he, 
however, excepts the country immediately around 
Olympus, where the snow often lies to midsummer. 





* This wind has been erroneously called “limbat ” from, we presume, 
a confusion of a French article with its noun, “ ’imbat.” 


CHAPTER XXI. 
BAFFO AND KUKLIA, 


Earty next morning, on leaving my sleeping 
apartment, I found my dragoman, in company with 
a young dealer in Paphian curiosities, hanging about 
the door, and evidently on the watch to fasten their 
company on me, should I attempt to visit any of 
the surrounding ruins. Not being desirous of their 
interference, or assistance, | evaded them, and qui- 
etly strolled down to the sez-shore. As I looked 
_ around, I observed, against the horizon, the small 
houses and slender minarets of Ktima, a little town. 
standing upon raised stone dikes. Somewhat lower 
down, a huge mass of sandstone extended for some 
little distance along the shore, the appearance of 
which at first puzzled me exceedingly. On the side 
facing the sea large and small chambers were hol- 
lowed out, and every here and there, roughly hewn 
steps led to the top of the rock. Cesnola has made 
some of his interesting excavations on this spot, and I 
will therefore explain these workings in the solid 
sandstone in his own words: 

“A little to the north-east, and half-way between 


these ruins and Ktima, there is a rocky eminence 
173 


174 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


sloping toward the sea, and called Palo Castro, 
the surface of which is perforated with thousands 
of ancient tombs, some cut vertically, and others 
horizontally, in the calcareous rock. Some are made. 
to contain only one body, while others are large 
enough for a score or more. These graves are all 
evidently pre-Roman. I had the rubbish removed 
from one of the largest, and found it to be an ob- 
long building, with an atrium supported by three 
monolithic columns, roughly hewn out of the lime- 
stone, and with a court-vard in front. The tomb is 
divided into three chambers, which communicate, 
inside, with each other, but have separate entrances, 
They have a large number of niches, seven feet by 
two, each to contain one body. Near the wall fac. 
ing the doorway of each chamber, there is a low 
platform hewn in the rock, on which apparently 
stood a sarcophagus, but nothing of it now remains. 
The court-yard contains also several single graves, 
but all have been opened long ago. Tunis must have 
been the family sepulchre of a great personage, and 
possibly that of one of the kings of Paphos.” 

The same authority gives the following particu- 
Jars concerning the contents of some similar tombs 
he examined at Amathus, and other excavations 
made by him at Paphos, with, however, but little 
result. 

“The quantity of objects in copper and bronze 
discovered in these tombs, though mostly destroyed 


BAFFO AND KUKLIA. 175 


by oxidization, is much greater than that found in 
the extensive necropolis of Idalium. I observed 
that in the localities where copper mines ate known 
to have existed, as at Amathus and Curium, more 
ancient utensils and figures in that metal are found. 
The fact that these bronze objects are roughly made, 
is sufficient proof that they have not been imported, 
but are of native manufacture. Many curious little 
rings in bronze and in silver were met with in these 
tombs, the use of which is not easy to determine. 
Some cylinders of soft glazed clay, probably of 
Babylonian or Egyptian manufacture, also came to 
light, together with several rings of solid gold of 
very rough workmanship, and entirely without 
artistic merit; broken earthenware jars, bronze 
bowls, copper hatchets, and a few iron arrow-heads 
were found, but all oxidized, so as to fall into pow- 
der, and entirely without inscriptions. West of 
these tombs, facing the sea, are to be found nine 
oven-shaped caverns, which contain a great quan- 
tity of human bones, besides those of oxen, camels, 
and sheep. ‘These nine caverns are far too small 
to have contained the amount of bodies indicated 
by the skeletons (I counted no less than sixty-four 
human heads), but were more probably simply os- 
suaries for bones removed from rock-cut tombs, so 
soon as the tomb was required for another occupant, 
and its tenant dried up and forgotten. The fact 
that no sepulchral vases or any other such relics are 


176 . CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


to be found, sufficiently bears out such a supposi- 
tion. In the tombs on the sea-shore, only the bones 
of pigeons and egg-shells in clay dishes were to. 
be found with the human remains, these being evi- 
dently the relics of the funeral feast.” 

During the week Cesnola remained at Ktima, he 
made many excavations; one of these was upon the 
site of a temple of which three large granite col. 
umns were still standing; he also discovered the 
bases of nine other columns, only a few inches be- 
low the surface, and still occupying their original 
position, whilst all around were strewn architec. 
tural fragments which had belonged to that strue- 
ture. On the other spot he investigated is a broken 
column, to which it is asserted St. Paul was tied 
and scourged when he came to preach the Gospel in 
this city; but the tradition is said to be only cur- 
rent amongst the Greeks of Ktima. In this locality 
there were also shafts of columns, some blocks of 
triglyphs and volutes lying on the ground, proba- 
bly also the remains of a temple. <A silver coin of 
Vespasian, with the Temple of Paphos upon it, and 
a few Roman lamps, were all the relics that were 
found after a week’s exploration. 

Before quitting the neighborhood of Paphos, the 
same authority visited the village of Koloni, which 
is situated upon a plain, stretching down to the sea, 
overshadowed by hills covered with juniper-trees. 
In these rocks are situated the “asbestos” quarries, 


BAFFO AND KUKLIA. < 177 


of which we have already spoken, and the much 
lauded “ Paphian diamond,” which, however, is only 
a superior quality of rock crystal. These hills, we 
are told yield fossil shells in large quantities; and 
earths in different colors, green, carmine, and yel- 
low, are occasionally met with in the surrounding 
district. 

Ten minutes’ ride from Koloni, in a north-west 
direction, is Ieroskipo, now a mere group of houses, 
This namé is evidently derived from the ancient 
Hieroskepi, “Sacred Garden,” the well-known gar- 
den of Venus, who was regarded by her worshippers 
as the goddess of gardens and flowers. Cupid was 
supposed to have lived with her in Cyprus. 

“There is,” says Cesnola, “a large cave which 
seems to have been artificially scooped out of the 
rock through which a spring makes its way, and 
after filling the basin, overflows and forms a rivulet 
sufficient to water the neighboring fields; this is 
known as the ‘ Bath of Aphrodite” I must say, he 
would be obdurate indeed who would not be capti- 
vated by the great beauty of the spot. The ground 
generally slopes gently toward the sea, but here it 
seems to have been cut into large plateaux or ter- 
races, which are surrounded by a thick grove of 
olive-trees many centuries old. Among the olives 
is a sprinkling of carob-trees, which, with their dark 
green and lustrous foliage, form a striking con- 
trast to the pale hue of the olive leaf. In closer 

8* 


178 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


proximity to Ieroskipo, are a number of rock-cut 
tombs, but no vestiges cf buildings are visible.” 

After wandering some distance farther along the 
sand, I reached Kapatah, a fortress built upon the 
shore by the Genoese, and here came upon more 
tombs cut in the rock, and entered by means of 
roughly-hewn steps. Over the largest of these 
chambers, [ observed an inscription in ancient Cyp- 
rian characters, and in the grotto itself, which is di- 
vided into two apartments, the hindermost of which 
has a small cupola at its top, I also noticed half 
effaced characters upon the walls. Near this spot 
was the ancient harbor, the dams of which were 
formed of blocks of stone; a stream now discharges 
itself here. Iwas told that the harbor had for: 
merly extended much further inland, and had grad- 
ually fallen into ruin, and been filled up with sand. 
The sea was splashing against the stones in the 
foreground, the flowering shrubs of all kinds filled 
the air with fragrant perfumes, and in the distance 
towered the dark and lofty mountains. 

Proceeding onward, after leaving this fort, I 
came upon a village embowered in trees and in- 
habited by Greeks and Turks. The walls, as is 
commonly seen in the district, appeared to be con- 
structed principally of stones taken from the sur- 
rounding ruins, and I noticed many a piece of broken 
column peeping out from its hiding-place, among 
waving palms and flowering shrubs. Near a little 


BAFFO AND KUKLIA. 179 


church I observed some small pillars, two of white 
marble, and two of beautifully polished granite. Of 
another church only a square tower and the portion 
of an arch remain. In the midst of the village is a 
roomy basin formed of large blocks of stone, which 
was, no doubt, the bath of the fair Cyprians of an- 
cient times; now it is merely a receptacle for refuse. 
As I proceeded farther into the village I found huge 
blocks of marble and granite lying in all directions. 
The French, we are told, in the course of their ex: 
plorations here, ten years ago, brought to light many 
valuable relics, and carried off the best of all they 
found. Knowing this, I was perfectly astonished 
at the rich treasures of antiquity that met my eye 
at every step, and I could only suppose the place to 
be the site of a former city, over the buried temples 
and palaces of which trees and shrubs had sprung 
up, and a few small houses for the present poor in- 
habitants had been hastily erected. The people 
still draw their water from the ancient limpid 
springs. Even the higher class of Turkish houses, 
which were comparatively modern, showed here and 
there traces of walls and gateways of an early date. 
During the time of the Emperor Augustus a violent 
earthquake destroyed New Paphos, and in obedi- 
ence to imperial commands the city that rose upon 
its ruins was named after his wife, Augusta. Ata 
later period, a second earthquake destroyed the un- 
fortunate town ; but we have no clue as to the date 


189 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


of this second calamity. I could not but groan in 
spirit as I walked and thought of all the treasures 
that probably lay buried beneath my feet. 

That evening I dined at the table of my worthy 
friend the bishop, whose liberal hospitality had 
made me acquainted with a great variety of strange 
dishes. On this occasion the repast seemed very 
homelike to me, for it consisted of an excellent 
roast leg of mutton served with some fine juicy let- 
tuces, a dish of onions stuffed with rice, and a great 
variety of sweet dishes, all excellent in their way, 
and principally samples of Turkish cookery. This 
was followed by toasted bread covered with layers 
of rich cheese, after which came coffee, and our ten 
feet long chibouks. 

During the evening many priests of various ranks 
dropped in, said a few words, and again departed. 
It seemed to me they had very much their own 
way with their good-hearted bishop. These visitors 
were followed by the kaimakan, or governor, who ~ 
appeared followed by half a dozen attendants. This 
gentleman chatted with us for an hour, and then 
left, begging me to allow him to send an escort with 
me on my journey of the following day. 

Early next morning I proceeded on my way, and 
as we approached Hierokipu, I saw many grottos 
hewn in the rock, and noticed again and again that 
the ground over which we passed sounded hollow 
as it was struck by our horses’ hoofs. I was in- 


BAFFO AND KUKLIA. 181 


formed by a gentleman we met, who owned property 
in the neighborhood, that two years ago he had 
found a place in which were five chambers hollowed 
in the rock, with a kind of entrance hall in front 
neatly constructed of square blocks of stone; within 
this stood a round pillar which had no doubt served 
as an altar. Many of the odd little flasks and ves- 
sels were found here which have been supposed (in 
my opinion most absurdly) to have been receptacles 
for tears. These contained resin and ointment, the 
perfume of which filled the wholechamber. When 
we were only some few hours’ distance from Old 
Paphos or Kuklia, I rode down to the shore and 
took a survey of the surrounding view. The mouna- 
tain gullies were now dry, but at other seasons, it 
was evident that the whole coast would be flooded 
by the streams that flowed through them during the 
wet season. I now ascended a slight eminence on 
which once was the site of a temple built by Pto- 
‘lemy Philadelphus, and dedicated to his beautiful 
spouse Arsince, who was there worshipped under 
the name of Venus Zephyritis. Dinochaus, the ar- 
chitect who completed the temple of Diana Ephe- 
sus, we are told, contemplated making the temple of 
Arsince of loadstones, with a statue of the queen 
suspended in the air by the power of magnetism, 
but he died before the strange idea could be carned 
out. The daughter of this queen was the fair Bere- 
nice, whose beautiful locks have been so celebrated. 


182 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


This lady dedicated her luxuriant tresses to the 
goddess should her husband, Ptolemy Evergetes, 
whom she tenderly loved, return uninjured from 
the war he was then engaged on. After three years 
he did return, ladened with spoil. All the south 
part of Asia Minor had submitted to him, and he 
erected two temples in commemoration of his victo- 
ries there, calling them Arsince and Berenika. On 
this successful issue of her petition the fair wife of 
the conqueror at once cut off her magnificent tresses, 
and had them suspended in the temple of her 
mother, the so-called Venus Zephyritis, Cyprus in 
those days being united with Egypt under the Pto- 
lemies. 

What became of this wonderful hair is unknown, 
but Konou of Samos, the astronomer, announced, by 
way of flattering the lovely queen, that “Jove him- 
self had stolen the tresses and placed them in the 
sky as a constellation.” 

The “Sacred Road,” which took its name from 
the number of worshippers carrying their offerings, 
who formerly passed backward and forward he- 
tween Old and New Paphos, gradually rose shghtly 
above the shore, and as I looked around I could not 
avoid noticing the great beauty of the sea foam as 
it rose in snowy wreaths from the stones on which 
it beat. At some seasons, when a south-west wind 
is blowing, this foam rises as high as the feet of the 
trees and shrubs, and presents the appearance of 


BAFFO AND KUKLIA. 183 


small tracks of snow. The shore at this point, I am 
told, would afford a rich field for the naturalist; I 
myself saw millions of crustaceans and microscopical 
creatures lying upon the stones. Gazing upon the 
scenes I could readily suppose how the vivid imagi- 
nation of the Grecian temperament should have led 
them to describe the Goddess of Love as having first 
reached the shores of Cyprus mounted on the foamy 
crest of a wave. 

Cesnola tells us that the two Christian churches, 
now both in ruins, one of which was built within 
the area of the temple, and the other within the 
boundary wall, the palace of the Lusignans, and 
the entire village of Kuklia, have been constructed 
with the stone from the ruins of the ancient city. 
Attached to each house is a penfold, built without 
mortar, of loose stones. The church that stands 
within the temple limits has several fine marbles 
imbedded in its walls, bearing inscriptions, which 
had obviously belonged to some more ancient edi- 
fice before they were placed in their present posi- 
tions. | 

An old ruined castle, and a few miserable dwelling- 
houses, are all that now remain of what was.once 
Old Paphos, now known as Kuklia. We rested for 
a time in a wretched coffee-house, which was full of 
zaptiehs, who were quartered here, whilst they collect- 
ed over-due taxes. Groups of people stood around, 
some looking pitiable objects with their wan, anx- 


184 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


ious countenances, whilst others, again, were perfect 
embodiments of cunning and stupidity. The chief 
officer of the soldiers, when I arrived, was address- 
ing this crowd with polite dignity and a great vari- 
ety of expressive gestures. It was whispered in my 
ear, by one of the party, that rage and threaten as 
their rulers might, no more money could be wrung 
from this wretched population. In respect to their 
extreme poverty these miserable beings appeared to 
me to be no worse off than the inhabitants of Ktima 
and other places we passed through. A few stal- 
wart men were amongst the crowd, but for the 
most part the people appeared weakly, and to blend 
the Grecian, Syrian, and Italian types of counte- 
nance. After vainly endeavoring to persuade some 
Turkish family to give us lodging, we were glad at 
last to take refuge in a very high shed, the mud 
walls of which contained but one room. In this I 
camped with all my three servants, A carpet and 
coverings were procured, and with these we made 
ourselves as comfortable as circumstances would 
permit. After a short rest, I issued forth to exam- 
ine this wretched place, and standing upon the flat 
roof of a hut that stood below ours, I obtained a 
clear view of my surroundings. The whole place 
appeared to be a mere heap of ruins, the pillars and 
foundations of ancient palaces. The heights around 
exhibited a few yellow flowering shrubs, interspersed 
with green palms and other trees, whilst around and 


BAFFO AND KUKLIA. 185 


about this scene of desolation stood the dwellings of 
the poverty-stricken inhabitants. Below me was the 
court-yard of a Turkish house, in which I could see 
the women at their work. They wore veils, and I 
could not help noticing how much they seemed to 
inconvenience them, as they threw them first on one 
side and then to the other, to be out of their way. 
I now descended and proceeded to explore the 
Aditum, the only ancient sacred edifice in Cyprus, 
which, thanks to the pictures of it found on gems 
and coins, we can reproduce before our eyes. It 
had, apparently, been a square building with a fine 
entrance, and a low wing at either end. On each 
side of the portal were two obelisks. This temple 
was surrounded by a barrier, in the centre of which 
stood the principal altar. In the innermost recesses 
of this edifice once stood the mysterious veiled 
stones of Astarte Aphrodite, ; 


CHAPTER XXII. 
EPISKOPI. - 


Next morning I could not resist taking another 
look at Old Paphos, and accordingly made my way 
to the heights behind the village, in order to im: 
press the charming landscape as deeply as possible 
upon my memory. The morning air was delight- 
fully fresh, the far-reaching coast was fringed with 
narrow lines of foam left by the rippling water, but 
the sea itself lay heavy and motionless as a sheet of 
‘metal. The mountains were partially concealed by 
a misty. veil, only the village being clearly seen 
surrounded by its verdant fields. 

On returning I entered the little coffee-house, 
which on the preceding day had afforded me by no 
means bad accommodation. The master sat before 
the door smoking his chibouk. He immediately 
respectfully made room for me, and I sat a short 
time conversing with him by signs. On recom- 
mencing our journey, we walked for about a mile 
along the sea-shore, after which we turned more in- 
land and entered a myrtle copse. The farther we 
advanced the more luxurious the country became. 


The undergrowth of bushes was interspersed with 
186 


EPISKOPI. 187 


wild roses, orchids, and many luxuriant flowers, the 
varied colors of which enlivened the green grass 
over which our course lay. Here we encountered 
some women engaged in cutting off the heads of 
thistles. Hussein begged a handful of these in 
order to let me taste the seeds, which he shelled 
out from the husks. I found them rather dry but 
not bad to eat; in fact, almost all the vegetables in 
the island afford something edible. A gray-headed 
old woman sold us some wild artichokes, and told 
us to eat them raw, but they were too coarse to be 
palatable.* The old dame was dressed after the 
Turkish fashion, and kept her face closely veiled. 
Our path now lay through a deep dell, and was 
covered with brushwood, while around us were 
eypresses, olives, and various fruit-trees, but all 
utterly neglected. A hundred thousand people 
might find ample sites here for most delightful resi- 
ences. As I was walking along, I trod upon a 
snake. It was of a gray color marked with black 
rings, about a foot and a half long, and as thick as 
my arm. A powerful scent of melons was percep- 
tible here and there; and on seeking for the cause, 
I found it came from some yellow berries, which 
grew upon a, to me, strange plant. The underwood 
was full of game, and many birds, whose names were 
unknown to me, were flying about. One, I espe- 





* The cauliflower was introduced to Europe from Cyprus, 


188 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


cially noticed, which closely resembled a jay, but was 
more brilliantly marked with blue and red. 

According to my map we ought to have passed 
through three villages. Hussein either knew a 
shorter way or participated in my love for solitude. 
Not a single village did we see; but we got a 
glimpse of Adimu at a great distance. Hussein, 
instead of taking me right over the heights of Old 
Kurion, brought. me again into the plain, assuring 
me most confidently that there was nothing to be 
seen there but a couple of large stones. Ross in- 
forms us that twenty years ago he saw there the 
remains of an ancient race-course, and the founda- 
tions, and some fragments of pillars, belonging to 
the Temple of Apollo Hylades. Except these, my 
guide declared there is no longer the slightest trace 
of these structures left visible. I will believe it, 
for during the last few years all seem to have 
been bent upon removing the last remnants of an- 
tiquity left in Cyprus, as though anxious to make 
the work of destruction complete. Whenever a 
building is to be erected in Syria or Egypt, it is to 
Cyprus they come for stone, taken from her old 
walls and bridges. : 

Right under the rock of Kurion, and not far from 
Episkopi, we came again to the sea, which, during 
the day, had so often delighted us. As we wound 
round the rocks, it sometimes seemed as though 
its laughing biue waters, inclosed between the far 


EPISKOPI. 189 


extending capes, were contained in an enormous 
bowl. 

Cesnola tells us that, along the southern coast of 
the island are several guard-houses, built near the* 
shore, on elevated ground, some of which, now dis- 
mantled and roofless, are of Turkish construction, 
and two or three hundred years old. Most of them 
appear to have been erected for the protection of 
the neighboring villages against Algerine pirates, 
who, not more than sixty years ago, were daring 
enough to land and carry off wealthy inhabitants, 
and to detain them until the required ransom was 
paid. 

From the heights above Episkopi one could see 
the long chain of mountains, looking as if they had 
been carefully folded one behind the other. The 
whole peninsula had the appearance of a great 
plank, both ends of which sloped off into the sea. 
In ancient times it was named Kurias, and belonged 
to a town of the same name, built upon the neigh- 
boring sandstone rock. 

The hills are situated at the beginning of the 
peninsula, just where the stream Lycos discharges 
itself into the sea, amid thickets of orange and other 
fruit trees, above which the slender stems of lofty 
palm-trees rear themselves gracefully into the air. 
Everywhere among the houses and gardens little 
brooks make their way through the fruitful plain. 
I could almost suppose the ancient Kurion must 


190 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


have been ‘situated here, and that the rock above 
us was merely its acropolis. 

Hussein left us in this beautiful spot whilst he 
went into the town to seek a lodging; the inhabi- 
tants were of much higher grade than at Paphos. 
The Turks find everything here that their hearts 
desire—quiet, green trees, and murmuring streams. 
Several little groups of veiled women passed us 
with dark brown eyes gleaming above the covering 
of their faces. I was informed that the Turks, who 
principally inhabited this beautiful place, finding a 
scarcity of women, had imported all these dark: 
faced beauties from Egypt. 

After we had wasted some time, Hussein came 
back with the news that the Greck population of 
Episkopi were so poor that we could procure 
neither beds, food, nor wine. The Turkish houses 
were all full; nobody appeared willing to receive 
us, and to quarter ourselves upon them uninvited 
was out of the question. Notwithstanding the 
episcopal name of the town, so far from there being 
any bishop there, the Turks had driven all the 
Greek priests out of it, leaving only a few poor 
huts at the disposal of the Christian population, 
and even the occupants of these could not receive a 
stranger without permission of their Turkish neigh- 
bors. 


CHAPTER XXIII 
KOLOSSIN. 


Own our approach to this village, I sent forward 
my dragoman to secure us lodgings for the night. 
As we followed him at the distance of about a 
mile we saw a huge square tower standing on a 
farmstead, and on advancing found that it was a 
building belonging to medieval times, but whether 
it had been part of a castle or a fortress I was 
unable to determine. The owner received us at 
the entrance of the court-yard in the kindest man- 
ner. Je was a man of substance and good deport- 
ment, holding a position similar to that of the 
owner of a vineyard on the Rhine, and his house 
very much resembled that of a small farmer in the 
South of France. Tke lower part of the house 
was occupied by his numerous family. He himself 
lived in the upper part, to which we ascended by a 
wooden staircase leading from a kind of entrance 
hall. The furniture in these comfortable apart- 
ments had something of a European aspect ; in the 
room were some fine greyhounds of a light yellow 
color. Our host informed us that there were fifteen 


yoke of oxen upon the farm, but there was land 
191 


192 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


enough to give employment to ten times the num- 
ber. 

After a short rest, we went to inspect the tower, 
under the guidance of the owner, who had ordered 
the servants to light it up from top to bottom with 
torches. It is a massive square building, with walls 
so thick that benches were placed in the recesses of 
the windows. A very simple coat-of-arms, carved 
in stone upon the exterior, shows that it was erected 
in the thirteenth century. The whole is a fine speci- 
-men of the very few baronial castles that remain. 
This structure is in excellent preservation, and fur- 
nishes a good example of Anglo-Norman architec- 
ture. Ido not think that in all Europe there is 
any building of the sort in such good condition, ex: 
cept, perhaps, the well-known castle at Hedingham. 

There are two lofty stories above the ground, and 
a deep cellar-like excavation beneath the level of 
the soil. The latter is divided into three compart- 
ments, and each of the former into two roomy cham- 
bers. Over the fireplaces are carved lilies, with- 
out any ornamentation, exactly resembling those 
represented in the coat-of-arms upon the outer wall. 
The portal is narrow, and a flight of small stone 
steps leads from one story to another; at the top 
is a broad platform surrounded by battlements. 
In the cellar there is a deep cistern or well partially 
filled up. The owner talked of having it cleared — 
out, and I wished that he might have the luck to 


KOLOSSIN. 193 


find some treasure at the bottom, to repay him for 
the bad harvests of the last two years, which, ow- 
ing to want of rain, had been very scanty. 

Manifestly, the whole building had been con- 
structed, not so much for a residence, as for defen- 
sive purposes. It is situated near the middle of the 
peninsula, just where, on the one hand, the ground 
slopes toward the sea, and on the other spreads a 
wide amphitheatre of hills; it thus at once com- 
mands the sea, the coast, and the surrounding moun- 
tain region. This colossal structure must evidently 
have been unassailable by fire, by ladders, or by 
breaching the walls, while its defenders, if hard 
pressed, could retreat from one story to another. 
Under the battlements were numerous loop-holes, 
through which arrows might be shot with deadly 
precision against an advancing enemy. 

‘The prospect from the lofty platform was exten- 
sive and beautiful. Sunset was rapidly approach- 
ing, and the clouds, illuminated by the departing 
rays of the glorious orb, were arranged in blood-red 
masses and streaks, whilst beneath, the deep blue 
tranquil sea was here and there lighted’ up by 
broad patches of golden splendor. The mountains 
however, were shrouded in a veil of gray mist. 
Low beneath us was the old church, whose archi- 
tecture seemed a mixture of the ancient Roman 
with the earliest Gothie. 


I learned that these old castles were crown prop- 
9 


194 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


erty and belonged to the Sultan. During the 
course of our conversation the origin and intention 
of the building became manifest to me. I found 
that I was in the very centre of the world-renowned 
Commanderia. The Knights of St. John, after they 
were obliged to quit the Holy Land, established the 
headquarters of their order at Cyprus, just as at a. 
later period they did in Rhodes and Malta. From 
Cyprus they issued forth under the protection and 
leadership of its knightly king, to fight gloriously 
against the Crescent, and very frequently the vie- 
tory was due tothe ccurage and prowess of these sol- 
diers of the Church. The Bishop of Akkon, Jacques 
de Vitrey, in his account of the Holy Land gives 
us the following sketch of the Knights Templars :: 

“ Covered with their white mantles, which were 
embroidered with a red cross, with their black and 
white banner ‘ Beauseant, they rush forward to 
battle in silence. ‘They have no war-ery. As soon 
as the general’s.trumpet sounds, they lay their lances 
at rest, and repeating from one of the Psalms of 
David ‘ Lord, give us the victory, not for us but for 
thy holy name,’ they throw themselves upon the 
strongest part of the enemies’ forces. They never 
give way! they must break through or die! Does 
one of the brotherhood lose heart, he is deprived of 
his mantle and all his knightly honors for a year, 
and must eat his meals from the ground, without a 


tablecloth, disturbed by the dogs that he is forbid- 


KOLOSSIN. 195 


den to drive away.” The order already possessed 


a “commande” (as the possessions of the knights 
were called) in Cyprus, and important privileges 
were conferred upon them by King Hugo I. in the 
year 1210. They were allowed to acquire territory 
wherever they wished, to import or export all sorts 
_ of produce, and to grind their corn without charge 
in the king’s mills, which were situated on the 
stream Kythrea, near Buffavento. They had resi- 
dences and gardens in Nikosia and Limasol, where 
the headquarters of the order were established, and 
in addition to this occupied Platanistia and Finika, 
in the district of Paphos, and Mamgrallu and Ko- 
lossin in the district of Limasol. 

In Kolossin, a French proprietor had possession 
of considerable domains, all of which were bought 
by the king and presented to the knights. And 
now Kolossin became the headquarters; here dwelt 
the general of the order, and here was built, during 
the first part of the thirteenth century, the strong 
castle, which during war was their fortress, and in 
peaceful times the place where the festivals and as- 
semblies of the order were held. ‘Toward the close. 
of the Middle Ages, not fewer than forty-one dis. 
tricts belonged to them in Cyprus. Their knowledge 
of husbandry and business-like habits enabled the 
Knights of St. John to bring their estates into a 
very thriving condition, The cultivation of corn, 
oil, vines, sugar-cane, and cotton increased in a won- 


196 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


derful manner, and because wine was produced only 
in the one district, or because the wine of that dis- 
trict surpassed the rest in quality, it was called 
Commanderia wine and Kolossin was regarded as the 
centre of the wine-growing region. 

We thankfully remeniber ed the brave knights as 
we sat at table and tasted the excellent wine still 
produced on these hills. From them, likewise, the 
islanders learned how to preserve the little birds 
called beccaficos, by simply plucking them, and 
packing them in jars filled with wine. The wine 
soaks thoroughly into the flesh, which becomes 
slightly hardened, and of most delicious flavor. 
Great numbers sf these delicate little birds are 
killed in Cyprus. 

The export of wine might easily be made a source 
of great wealth to the inhabitants; as matters at 
present stand, the wine imported has to pay a duty 
of one-sixteenth of its value, but fifty times more 
than is now grown might be produced from the rich 
lands, which at present lie waste and useless, __ 

It is a wonder how, seeing the rude manner in 
which the wine is made, that it is so good as it is. 
Very little trouble is taken with it. Goats and 
young donkeys wander at their own wicked will 
through the vineyards during the early part of the 
year, and feed upon the young grapes. The clusters 
are gathered without the slightest selection, and 
thrown upon the ground, where probably they may 


KOLOSSIN. 197 


remain until soaked with rain. After lying for a 
week to rot, they are pressed in the roughest way; the 
must is poured into large earthen vessels, which are 
frequently put imto a room where rancid oil, grain, 
dried leaves, fruit, and all sorts of bad smelling 
things are standing and hanging around. In this 
polluted atmosphere the must has to undergo two 
fermentations. Over the earthen pot that contains 
the wine a flat slate is laid, or a cover with a little 
hole in it, through which at intervals a straw is in- 
troduced and a mouthful sucked out, partly as a 
drink, but perhaps more properly to ascertain how 
the wine is getting on; it may have grown sour or 
it may not. Should the fermentation have proved 
successful, the merchants come, ready to bargain 
about the price. This wine is kept in casks, through 
which the air is allowed to pass, and after a year is 
considered to be in good condition. As in many 
neighboring countries, it is the custom in Cyprus to 
buy wine when a child is born and keep it to be 
drunk at its marriage feast. - 

Commanderia is first the color of a topaz, and 
then becomes deep red, finally attaining the hue of 
good curagoa. Muscadine, the second quality of 
Cyprian wine, is very sweet and has a slight violet 
tinge when new, after, some years it attains the 
thickness of syrup. Mavyro, a dark red wine, is also 
much drunk in Cyprus; it is very dry and resembles 
Chateau Margaux. 


CHAPTER XXIV. 
SOIL AND MINERAL PRODUCTS, 


A GLANCE at the map shows us that the island of 
Cyprus is naturally divisible into three regions, all 
widely differing from each other. Along the entire 
length of its northern division there runs a long 
range of low hills, close to the sea, varying in height 
from two to three thousand feet, composed of Jura 
limestone, flanked on either side by Vienna sand- 
stone. 
The western and southern portions, constituting 
at least half of the island, are covered with moun- 
tains from two thousand to six thousand feet high. 
These lofty ridges and projecting peaks, as well as 
the whole northern half of the district, consist of 
greenstone, while toward the south they are princi- 
pally composed of marl and tertiary limestone. 

Between these two ranges of mountains there is 
an extensive plain covered with rich alluvial soil, 
which in mdny places is from ten to fifteen, or even 
twenty feet deep, through which run streams, con- 
verging into two rivers, one of which takes its 
course to the eastern, the other to the western, side 


of the island. Both of these streams during the 
os, 198 


SOIL AND MINERAL PRODUCTS. 199 


Tainy season overflow their banks, inundating the 
country far and wide, so that a man unprovided 
with a boat may be detained for weeks together, 
unable to pass from one place to another. When 
the water evaporates, or is drained off, it leaves a 
slimy deposit which, in its properties and chemical 
composition, resembles in a remarkable manner the 
sediment deposited fromthe inundations of the Nile. 

All round the island extends a narrow level beach, 
flanked by gently rising hills, consisting of post ter- 
tiary strata mixed with gypsum, lime, and marl. 
Here we find a most productive soil, watered by in- 
numerable streams and brooks, which pour down 
from the hills; moreover, between the hills are 
many fruitful valleys and stretches of fertile land, 
which would richly repay proper cultivation, 

On account of its many capes the map of old Cy- 
prus somewhat resembles a horned head, and the 
very peculiar narrow peninsula, along which the 
northern chain of mountains is continued, may be 
compared to the tongue, with which it seems to be 
licking the corner, between Syria and Asia Minor. 

The extensive plains have been celebrated from 
the remotest antiquity for their gardens and corn- 
fields. On the slopes, around the coast, and in the 
deep valleys among the hills, may be found all the 
plants and trees that are met with in Europe, West- 
ern Asia and Egypt; these thrive prodigiously in- 


deed. 


200 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


In former years, the island was celebrated for its 
valuable copper mines, hence is supposed to be de- 
rived its ancient name xvzpos, from which we get 
Cyprus. The most important copper mines were 
formerly at Tamassus, in the centre of the island; 
at Soli, on the north coast; and Amathus and Cyri- 
cum on the south coast. Gold and silver were occa- 
sionally found. Salt is still made in large quan- 
tities, and coal is found occasionally. Volcanic 
eruptions, which were formerly not infrequent, have 
not occurred for many years; the island is, however, 
subject to earthquakes. Precious stones in great 
variety, including the diamond, emerald, jasper, 
opal, and agate, were formerly found in this island. 
Yellow ochre and amber are also amongst the min- 
eral productions. Baffo produces a very superior 
kind of asbestos, which is known as “ stone-cotton” 
in Cyprus. It is quite white and as flexible as silk. 
The ancients made it into cloth, which was incom- 
bustible. This manufacture is still carried on in 
some parts of the island, where the cloth is em- 
ployed to make the sacramental robes of the priests. 


CHAPTER XXV. 
NATURAL PRODUCTS. 


We will now give our readers a general sketch of 
the rise and decline of Cyprian agriculture under 
different rulers. 

For nearly three hundred years the dynasty of 
Lusignan ruled over a flourishing and important 
country. Monks, knights, merchants, and priests 
thronged to its hospitable shores, on their way to 
and from adjoining countries, and many fair dames 
were conducted so far, and found pleasant refuge in 
Cyprus, whilst their chivalrous husbands journeyed 
farther east, to assist in the vain attempt to obtain 
possession of the tomb of Christ, and earn either an 
early grave, or return covered with wounds and 
glory. Towns sprang up in all directions. Wine, 
oil, silk, cotton, the carob-tree (Ceratonia siliqua), 
and the various plants used for the famous Cyprian 
dyes, were again largely cultivated, and in the over- 
flowing markets of the towns upon the coast, ships 
in adjacent seas found the readiest means of victual- 
ing for distant voyages. Mining operations were 
recommenced with ardor, and Cyprian merchants 
again sent forth the rich products of the island into 


all parts. 
g* 201 


202 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


We have still to notice what was the fate of the 
island under Venetian and Turkish domination. The 
Venetians, anxious to derive every possible emolu- 
ment from their possessions, urged the population 
to the most strenuous efforts in the culture of the 
land, and when the weary laborers sank under the 
burden and heat of the day, used every incentive, 
and even punished them, in order to increase their 
exertions in bringing their fields and gardens to the 
required perfection. ‘There is still a tradition in the 
island that the Venetians paid a zechin for every 
olive-tree that was planted. Generation after gen- 
eration,. however, the population degenerated, and 
became weaker and more idle. 

The Venetians wouid appear to have considered. 
the island in the light of a great and valuable farm, 
which they endeavored to make as productive as 
possible. They appointed three governors, two treas- 
urers, a superintendent with two thousand men under 
him, placed a captain and a company of soldiers 
in each of the twelve districts into which the land 
was divided, who kept everything in order, and took 
care that the fields and gardens were well cultivated, 
and the taxes regularly paid. After deducting all ex- 
penses, Cyprus yielded to Venice a clear yearly pro- 
fit of two millions of ducats (golden dollars).. The 
Italian revenue officers seem not to have been much 
trusted in their dealings with the Cypriotes, and 
were changed every two years. : 


NATURAL PRODUCTS. 203 


When the Sultan of Egypt subsequently took 
Cyprus, the yearly tribute exacted amounted to 
eight hundred thousand duecats (golden dollars) ; it 
now produces only seven millions of marks, a very 
small sum, in comparison with what it produced to 
its Venetian masters. 

During the fifteenth century, the blighting influ- 
ence of successive wars was keenly felt, and the best 
energies of the Lusignans were devoted to ward- 
ing off the repeated attacks of the Mussulmans. 
Since the New World had arisen in the West, strong 
and vigorous immigrants no longer lent their aid to 
prop a declining state. The conquest of Cyprus by 
the Turks cost the island the last remnant of its 
industrious, enterprising, and independent inhabit- 
ants, and the blood-stained and desolate country 
was no longer cultivated. The Turks, always pas- 
sionate admirers of flowers, introduced a few tulips 
and hyacinths, and planted date-palms in the spots 
they occupied; but the soil was not congenial to 
them, and in Cyprus the date-palm rarely produced 
its sweet and highly-prized fruit. 

The tobacco plant was also introduced at this 
period, but its cultivation was never carried on to 
any great extent, owing to the necessity of planting it 
in gardens surrounded by high walls, in order to pro- 
tect the plant from the depredations of the locust. 
No attempt was made on the part of the Turkish 
Government to rouse the dying energies of the peo 


204 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


ple; slowly, but surely, every art and industry 
declined, and the locust swarmed over the barren 
and neglected country. | 

Thus, in ancient times, we see that the island of 
Cyprus was celebrated for its varied vegetation, but 
of the plants that once grew there, many are totally 
lost, others are now cultivated with difficulty, and 
very few new ones are added to the list. The vege- 
tation of Cyprus, like its history, seems to have un- 
dergone many changes, and from the nature of the 
soil, is very diversified in different parts of the island. 
At the present day, corn is still extensively cul- 
tivated; wheat, barley, oats, and beans flourish well. 
Upon the mountains grow fir and pine-trees, and in 
the valleys we find fine oaks, ashes, orange, fig, citron, 
date, walnut, and a great variety of other trees. 
Overhanging shrubs crowd the deep dells and pre- 
cipitous cliffs, and amongst them grow the oleander, 
myrtle, arbutus, juniper, and mastic. Not less strik- 
ing is the lovely carpet of flowers, which clothes 
the face of the country with ever-varying beauties. 
Roses and jasmine, tulips, hyacinths, narcissus, and 
anemones, are but a few of those that I might enu- 
merate. | 

In Cyprus the use of manure is unknown, but 
nevertheless there is but little change in the luxu- 
riant fertility of the soil, and wherever the earth 
is sufficiently supplied with moisture, a thousand 
plants spring up in rich profusion. One of the prin- 


NATURAL PRODUCTS. 205 


cipal difficulties in the field is to keep the corn from 
being smothered by weeds. This task of weeding 
falls entirely to the lot of the women. 

Olive-trees were formerly very numerous, as is 
proved by the large reservoirs for oil to be seen 
near Larnaka. The trade was at one time very ex- 
tensive, but the island now consumes all that it pro- 
duces. This decline would appear to date from the 
era of Venetian rule, when the trade in oil was 
almost ruined, and the cultivation of the olive 
- abandoned for that of cotton. Saffron, rhubarb, 
and many other natural and valuable productions 
are also neglected. 

Cyprus had once a lucrative trade with Syria in 
the oil extracted from the seed of the jujube tree. 
Oil of glasswort was also formerly extracted. Cucu- 
mis colocynth, from the pulp of which colocynth is 
made, is also largely cultivated: this plant grows 
like the water-melon, and belongs to the same family. 
The cotton plant, which was formerly so important 
a production, is now comparatively but little culti- 
vated. The seeds of the cotton-plant are sown early 
in April, three or four being planted together, at 
equal distances. When the shoots appear above 
the ground, the strongest plant alone is allowed to 
remain, the rest being weeded out. The plants are 
hoed in June or July, and the cotton collected in 
October and November. The cottons of Cyprus, 
which are four qualities, are much esteemed on 


206 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


account of their whiteness and thickness of their 
texture; a fifth quality, called scovazze, is entirely 
consumed on the island. The total export of cotton 
in 1871 was 770,850 lbs. 

During the time when the silk trade flourished, 
muiberry trees were objects of most careful atten- 
tion, and still abound upon the island. The finest 
and whitest silk is now obtained from the neighbor- 
hood of Famagusta, and Karpasso; the lemon, or 
sulphur-colored, comes from Citereau, and most of 
the northern villages, whilst that made about Baffo 
is of a golden color. 

The Greek females of some of the towns and yil- 
lages work exquisite embroidery, and make a kind of 
silk net, which will bear comparison with the finest 
European lace. On the west side of the island the 
peasants distill rose, orange, and lavender water, and 
myrtle and ladanum oil. 

Amongst the birds, snipe, pheasants, partridges, 
quails, and thrushes are very abundant, as are also 
most of the birds of passage that make Africa their 
home during the winter. 

Until the commencement of the seventeenth cen- 
tury 150,000 kilderkins of wine were annually pro- 
duced; whilst at the beginning of the present cen- 
tury, only a sixth part of that quantity was made. 
The manufacture of wine has considerably increased 
in the last few years, but principally for foreign 
consumption. The lower order of Cypriotes find 


NATURAL PRODUCTS. : 207 


the wine too strong for their heads, and too dear for 
their pockets, and drink little or none. The taxes 
upon wine are at present very heavy. 

The utilization of the fruit of the island as a 
means of profit is now never thought of; even the 
celebrated vegetables of Cyprus are now almost un- 
known, and the inhabitants content themselves with 
gathering wild cresses, artichokes, purslane, and as- 
paragus. The olive-tree, however, as we have said, 
is still largely grown—cultivated we cannot call 
it, as not only the planting, but gathering the fruit, 
and expressing the oil, are carried on in the most 
careless manner. Without the olive, however, sorry 
indeed would be the fare of the Cypriotes, 

Potatoes flourish in the mountainous districts and 
kolekasia in low-lying regions. Melons, pumpkins, 
and gherkins are also found in great profusion. 
During the last forty. years, Greek and French en- 
terprise has made various efforts to bring about a 
better state of things. What may not now be 
hoped for when this luxuriant island is again under 
a paternal dominion and the safety of individual 
rights secured ? 

At all times, snakes, which, however, are not dan- 
gerous, tarantulas, and venomous spiders abound in 
the island, and Dr. Clarke gives a forcible descrip- 
ticr. of its insect pests. Speaking of the tarantula, 
he describes one species of about an inch long, as 
having “a body of briglt yellow, and beset with 


208 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


long and prickly hairs. It runs with prodigious 
swiftness, and thus more easily escapes its destruc- 
tion, in which mankind are interested; its bite being 
very dangerous, and its venom very subtle. The 
parts which are attacked by it swell in an instant, 
and occasion excessive pain, followed by death if 
certain remedies be not speedily applied.” 

The cultivation of the sugar-cane is now quite 
unknown in Cyprus, and the cotton-plant is only 
grown in a few districts. 

It has been erroneously stated that the natives 
will not touch the flesh of the ox, from the idea 
that it would be cruel to eat the companion of their 
labors. Numerous small, but fat cattle are fed on 
the plains, and their beef enjoyed as much by the 
Cypriote as by an Englishman. Great numbers of 
sheep and goats are also reared. The mutton is 
juicy and tender, 


CHAPTER XXVI. 
ST. NICHOLAS AND LIMASOL. 


Wurst I was in Kolossin I learnt that some fine 
marble pillars, which lay outside in the court-yard, 
had been brought from the Abbey of St. Nicholas, 
which was only some few leagues off, upon the 
neighboring peninsula. Everything I heard of this 
interesting ruin made me more desirous of inspect- 
ing it. Visions of European abbeys floated before 
my eyes, and I determined to start at once to view 
this Cyprian reality. 

Next morning I sent on my dragoman and horse- 
boy to Limasol, with orders to try and get lodgings 
for me in the Franciscan cloisters, and then rode 
forward with Hussein on the way to St. Nicholas. 
After about an hour and a half’s hard riding, we 
reached the south portion of the peninsula. The 
spot was a bare, open plain, and the water by which 
it was surrounded full of reeds. We had scarcely 
reached our destination than torrents of rain began 
to fall, and we were forced to take shelter under a 
-Tuined wall, standing our horses in front of us, to 
prevent our being literally washed away. Hap- 
pily the storm was only of short duration, and the 


ground was soon dry again, and we could continue 
209 


210 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


our investigations. The little church of St. Nicho- 
las, which was evidently built in the fifteenth cen- 
tury, is in good condition, and stands in the midst 
of the ruined abbey, the rectangular walls of which 
surround it. On closely examining the church it 
was easy to trace the solid foundations of the an- 
cient temple, on the site of which it had been built. - 
Rows of broken pillars, some extending along the 
hinder walls, indicated what had once been a cov- 
ered walk for the monks. Over the doorway was a 
huge marble tablet, on which five coats-of-arms were 
chiseled. The ancient temple which preceded the 
abbey had evidently been very extensive, and I 
could trace its foundations for some feet beyond the 
cloister walls. In one corner stood what had been . 
an altar, and near it a very deep cistern. The old 
walls here, which are as hard as iron, had been 
taken in large masses to form, evidently, the abbey 
walls. Marble pillars lay in all directions, but I 
saw none as fine as the two that had attracted my 
attention in the inn yard at Kolossin. No trace of 
the abbey garden was left, beyond some olive-trees, 
the roots of which were buried quite impartially 
under the ancient and medieval walls. A few 
goats were wandering about, and gave a touch of 
animation to the melancholy and deserted scene. ° 
The water about this peninsula is as rich in salt as 
is that near Larnaka. 

I mounted a neighboring eminence, but could see 


ST. NICHOLAS AND LIMASOL. 211 


no trace of life. Nota ship or boat appeared upon 
the bosom of the sea beyond, and I could not help 
asking myself, as I descended, if this whole country 
was destined to remain desolate forever, or if we 
could hope that, under a new government, it might 
attain fresh aeakity, and again take its place as one 
of the animated spots of the earth. a 
_ The road from the ruins of the temple and mon- 
astery upon the southern peninsula, a distance of 
about three anda half hours’ ride, winds around 
the salt marsh, and then turns toward the sea. Li- 
masol is more European in its appearance than any 
other town in Cyprus. Houses built of clay and 
stone predominate here, more especially in the part 
inhabited by the Turks. 

Clay and wood seem, at the present day, to be 
the favorite building materials of these people, and 
it is the same wherever they settle. Even a small 
party of Turkish women that we encountered were 
making a house exactly as in Smyrna or Constanti- 
nople. When these women see a stranger approach- 
ing at a short distance, they cover themselves up, 
but as he draws nearer, the pretty ones always draw 
their veils a little aside, so that he may have a peep 
at their fresh, smiling faces. This use of the veil 
appears general throughout Turkey, and was prac- 
ticed even during the time of the Crusaders. 

We rode through a long street, and as we ap- 
proached a stately- looking house, Hussein called my 


212 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


attention to a flag emblazoned with the German 
eagle, which floated over the roof; with delight I 
recognized it, and read the familiar inscription. I 
then rode on to the Franciscan convent, where the 
little monk, who stood before the door, came for- 
ward to receive me with every demonstration of — 
joy and fatherly weleome. Hardly had I refreshed 
myself with a cup of excellent coffee, than he arose 
and insisted upon my following him to my chamber 
and resting myself after my fatiguing journey. He 
afterward came to fetch me, in order that he might 
show me over the convent. From the terrace we 
had a noble prospect, looking toward the mountains 
which, although bare, rose grandly above the surface 
of the plain. Behind the garden, we found a lit- 
tle sequestered churchyard. The small number of 
graves indicated that during a long period only two 
or three of the brotherhood had here found their 
resting-place. It would seem that these monks had 
been placed here, more to watch over the place, than 
for any pastoral service. For the purposes of wor- 
ship a new and very beautiful church was in course 
of erection; the money to build this had come from 
Rome, where gold is always forthcoming to build 
churches with in any part of the world where Ro- 
man Catholics are to be found. 

After we had returned to the dining-hall, there 
entered a very smart merchant from Tyre, who, like 
myself, was a guest in the convent. This man of- 


ST. NICHOLAS AND LIMASOL. 213 


fered me a gem that he said he had just found; for 
which he asked an enormous price. He was not at 
‘ all abashed when I told him that the value of the 
article might possibly be a couple of piastres. The 
manufacture of these pretended antiquities is carried 
on in Smyrna, Beyrut, and Jerusalem on an exten- 
sive scale, and appears to be very profitable. 

And now the German consular agent appeared 
with his canvass, dragoman, and staff of officers, to 
greet me on my arrival, and when they departed, 
Hussein marched after them, and thus they paraded 
about the town, and through the bazaar. People 
are very fond of show and parade of this descrip- 
tion, a passion doubtless derived from the customs 
of the Romans and Byzantines. The German resi- 
dent in Limasol seemed somewhat disappointed be- 
cause we had passed his house without calling, and 
urgently insisted on my accompanying him home, 
where, he said, everything had been prepared for 
my reception. The little priest, however, had laid 
an embargo on my person, and declared that such 
an affront should not be offered to hisconvent. The 
Italian consul also paid me a visit, and also the mas- 
ter of the Greek school, and I was highly amused, 
knowing, as I did, that all these pressing invitations 
were given with the full knowledge that the next 
steamer for Constantinople left Larnaka in three 
days, and that there was no chance of my waiting a 
whole week for the next. I then, in company with 


214 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


the Greek schoolmaster, took a walk through the 
town, and inspected the bazaar, the schools, and the 
church. In the higher school there were about 
twenty scholars, in the lower upward of a hundred; 
their number increases rapidly from one half year 
to another. Behind the school I noticed a column, 
the capital of which was very handsome, and which 
I was told had been brought from the monastery of 
St. Nicholas, The interior of the town has a very 
European appearance ; it is, indeed, principally mod- 
ern, and has been built—a good augury for Cyprus 
—in consequence of the increased export of wines 
grown in the country. 

Limasol at the present day contains about six 
thousand inhabitants, of whom one-third, and these 
the poorest, are Turks. Among the Greek popu- 
lation there are already several well-to-do merchants 
who trade in flax and wool. 

In the evening, a visit to our consular agent ena- 
bled me to observe the domestic economy of the 
Cyprians, in a Greek house of some pretensions. 
The agent himself is a young man of polished ad- 
dress and very engaging manners, the mistress of 
the house charmingly beautiful. There was also a 
lady whose bright and sparkling eyes gleamed with 
intelligence and persevering energy. Her family 
belonged to the oldest nobility of the island, and 
yet had not been resident there for more than a 
century and a half. Under Turkish rule families 





ST. NICHOLAS AND LIMASOL. 915 


do not easily attain to nobility or distinction. It 
may also be remarked that, of late years, the higher 
Turkish officials who came from Constantinople, 
were seldom people of such refined manners as their 
predecessors. How can it be otherwise, seeing that 
money is now the only key whereby admission to 
office can be obtained? Even the multitude of 
green-turbaned descendants of the Prophet are 
quickly disappearing. In China they manage bet- 
ter. After the imperial family, ranks that of Kung- 
fu-tso (Confucius), and there are about ten thou- 
sand living descendants of the sage—but it is only 
the real lineal head of the family, the Prince Kung, 
who is benefited by the renown of his ancestry. In 
Turkey, on the contrary, the canker-worm has been 
long devouring the whole ancestral tree, root and 
branch. The curse of the country is, that dignity 
and work are thought to be incompatible with each 
other, and the descendants of the Prophet consider 
themselves too illustrious to do anything. 

About ten o’clock we sat down to table, and our 
first glass was dedicated to our country’s noble flag, 
which waved above the roof of the house. At this 
time, however, there were few Germans in Limasol, 
and during the whole year but two or three German 
vessels had cast anchor in the roadstead. 

I am, however, pretty well convinced that a good 
trade might be established here, even if the cargoes 
consisted entirely of wine. The conversation turned 


216 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


principally on the population and revenue, and I 
succeeded in making a few additions to my knowl- 
edge concerning the statistics of the country. As 
regards the population of Cyprus, I was told that 
the Turks numbered about 200,000, and Greeks 
100,000. A European observer, who was long a 
resident here, reckoned 100,000 Greeks, 40,000 
Turks, and 1,000 Maronites and Roman Catholics; 
most probably, however, if we estimate the total 
at 150,000, of whom about a third are Turks, we 
should not be far from the truth. 

Equally at variance with each other were the ac- 
counts that I’ received concerning the revenue, al- 
though my questions were only put to persons who, 
ex officio, were able at least to give approximate in- 
formation. The revenue derived from the’ customs 
and taxes, was estimated by one at thirty-five mil- 
lions of piastres, by another at thirty millions, and 
by a third at twenty-four millions; the figures set 
down in the following table are, however, probably 
nearer the mark: 


5 Piastres, 
Tithes upon all income Z 2 5 ‘ - « 74,000,000 
nf es land zs 2 * ‘i = ee 400,000 


Land tax (tolls upon product) . é 2 - + 5,000,000 
Military taxes upon Christians . . . «. . 580,000 — 


Head money upon sheep . . . . . - 700,000 
Weighing taxes uponsales . . . . = . 800,000 
Customs upon salt. 3 A ° . : - 1,500,000 
“ ¢ owines: +: Z = ‘ < - « 1,000,000 
2 ** exported silk . : . . - 200,000 
ve xe Se RS 3 ; eth 5a 20,000 


Total . se « 56, CO, 


ST. NICHOLAS AND LIMASOL. 217 


Truly, for a country so large, so luxurious, and 
so rich (when we consider the small value of the 
plastre), this is but a sorry income. From this, 
moreover, must be deducted the cost of the mosques, 
Mohammedan schools, and other similar institutions, 
which even in Cyprus are distributed over a con- 
siderable portion of the island. These are placed 
under the superintendence of the Mohammedan 
priesthood, and there is a proverb which says, 
“Sooner will the eyes of the dead shed tears, than 
priests give up money.” In Cypris it is well un- 
derstood that, of all these taxes, not above two or 
three millions of piastres find their way to Constan- 
tinople; nay, that the inhabitants have, in addition 
to these imposts, to pay considerable sums to the 
Turkish officials to keep them in a good humor. 
Moreover, the Turks are constantly obliged to 
bribe one another, in order to keep themselves in 
office, and to maintain the dignity of their position. 
The sums expended upon roads, bridges, and pub- 
lic buildings, are of very trifling amount. Even the 
cost of the military establishment is exceedingly 
small, The population is too weak and too lazy to 
require much of a garrison, and the Turks come 
willingly from other places, to fulfill the military 
duties in so quiet a spot. | 

10 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 
AMATHUS. 


Next morning we journeyed onward toward 
Amathus. The day was lovely, one of the most 
exquisite I have ever experienced in any climate, 
and as we galloped along, my veins seemed to 
dance with every breath I drew. At such mo- 
ments one readily comprehends why the inhabitants 
of Cyprus have never taken any high place in the 
fields of literature and art, and why its seductive 
and enervating air has always proved attractive to 
the Turks, as it did formerly to the ancient Ro- 
mans. Our road lay through waving corn-fields, 
the rich golden hues of which were finely contrasted 
with the deep blue waters of the sea, which in many 
places reached the very borders of the fields. Sud- 
denly a change arose, the sun mounted high into the 
heavens, and beat down upon us with such fiery 
force and fury, as caused me fully to appreciate the 
appropriateness of the symbol stamped upon the 
ancient coins of Cyprus, namely, a devouring lion, — 
backed, in some instances, by an image of the sun’s 
rays. Terrible, indeed, is the destruction worked 
by the ravening jaws of Phebus Apollo upon the 

218 


AMATHUS. 219 


fruitful gardens and flowery plains of this fertile 
island. At these seasons, only such fields as lie 
close to the sea can resist the parching blight; in 
these tracts on the shore, plants of all kinds flour- 
ish luxuriantly, drawing the moisture which sup- 
ports them from the refreshing dews borne to them 
from the neighboring waves. In such of these cul- 
tivated portions of the coast as also enjoy the mois- 
ture brought by the smaller streams, as they dis- 
charge themselves into the sea, the harvests and 
crops are still more luxuriant. Not only the coun- 
try uear to Limasol, over which I was now riding, 
but the coast about Episkopi, Kition, Larnaka, Fama- 
gusta, beside the north coast near Morphu and Laga- 
thos, and other places, possess many of these most 
valuable agricultural districts. Much land has al- 
ready been reclaimed for the purposes of cultiva- 
tion, and there is no reason why so successful an 
experiment should not be attempted upon many 
other parts of the coast. 

After about two hours’ riding, we reached what 
appeared to me to be the ruins of a church, stand- 
ing close to the shore, and beside these a heap of 
ancient hewn stones, lying ready to be shipped for 
Port Said, where they were to be employed in the 
construction of a new harbor. On our left rose a 
mountain, with fields of corn extending to a consid- 
erable distance up its slopes. My dragoman was 
most desirous to ride on, without my lingering to 


220 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


investigate the spot, and when J assured him that 
this mount was certainly the site of the ancient 
Amathus, positively asserted that not a trace of 
anything was to be seen. I believe the rascal was 
afraid he should again get more climbing than suited 
his indolence, for he declared in piteous accents 
that it would take us fully an hour to reach the 
summit. By this time, however, I knew the gen- 
tleman I had to deal with, and persisted in my de- 
termination to make the attempt. Our road was 
certainly of the steepest, but the way was short, 
and in about fifteen minutes we were at the top. 
Much did I rejoice that I had persevered in my own 
course, for before me lay the spot that I had sought. 
The mount was indeed a natural fortress of the first 
order, and must have afforded most secure refuge 
during the disturbed periods of the island’s his- 
tory. On the side facing the sea, by which we had 
ascended, I could trace the foundations of an ancient 
rampart. On the other three sides, such protection 
had been quite unnecessary, as the rock rose sheer, 
and almost perpendicularly from the fruitful val- 
ley at its base. Here had once stood a large city, 
founded by the Pheenicians, which is still called in 
Hebrew, Hamath, or the fortified city. The build- 
ing appears to have covered the eminence, and from 
thence extended to the shores of the sea. ‘Tacitus, 
and other ancient writers, speak of Amathus as the 
oldest city in Cyprus; at the present day, it may 


# 


AMATHUS. 221 


be described as the one of which the traces have 
been most ruthlessly destroyed. With the exception 
of the shattered pieces of a gigantic vase, of which 
I shall speak presently, and the ruined church upon 
the coast, no trace is left of its former greatness, 
From the top of the mount to the very shores of 
the sea, every sign has been removed, beyond that 
afforded by heaps of broken stones and potsherds. 
Twelve years ago, the last valuable was removed 
by French antiquarians. This relic was one of two 
gigantic vases, finely shaped in solid stone, with 
sides almost a foot in thickness, and ornamented 
with four gracefully arched handles, decorated with 
palm branches, and adorned upon its sides by the 
images of four bulls. The interior of this delicately 
chiseled but gigantic vase was about ten feet in 
diameter, and so deep that an ordinary man, stand- 
ing within, could just have looked over its edges, 
At the time this spot was visited by the French 
travelers we speak of, one of these two precious relics 
stood above ground, and was quite perfect, whilst 
the other was partially buried in the earth. Dis- 
graceful as it may appear, the fact is certain, that 
when the French officers, who were overlooking the 
removal of the perfect vase, found that its compan- 
ion, imbedded in the earth, was somewhat in their 
way, they at once ordered the sailors who were with 
them to smash it to pieces. This fact was related 
to me by a gentleman of high position in Limasol, 


222, CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


who was an eye-witness of this act of wanton destruc- 
tion. My zaptieh, Hussein, it afterward appeared, 
had been present with his master, my friendly pacha, 
whilst this monster vase was being ‘pulled down the 
mountain, and spoke with enthusiasm of its enor- 
mous size and beauty. He also informed me that the — 
French frigate, “La Perdrix,” commanded by Comte 
de Vigue, had a small steamship to assist in convey- 
ing the valuable yelic. I found pieces of a handle 
of the broken vase lying strewn about the mountain. 

For a thousand years these giant mementos of a 
former age had stood upon these mountains, to re- 
cord the grandeur of past ages, and would have re- 
mained untouched by the wear and tear of centuries 
to come, had it not been for the barbarous vandal- 
ism of a handful of French officers. What may 
have been the use of these magnificent vessels is 
quite uncertain; the oxen sculptured upon them 
would appear to give them a religious significance, 
and we know that similar vases stood without the 
‘Temple at Jerusalem. It is most probable they 
were in some manner connected with the numerous 
sacrifices that formed so large a part of the religious 
ceremonies to Venus. 

On these heights, the feasts in honor of Adonis 
were held. This beautiful youth, the beloved of Ve. 
nus, is said to have met his death in the Idalion forest 
between Larnaka and Famagusta, where, according 


to heathen mythology, he was killed by a wild boar 


AMATHUS. 923 


he had wounded. Anemones are said to have sprung 
up from the ground that was moistened by his 
blood. These feasts to Adonis, which were first 
celebrated at Bybios, in Pheenicia, were afterward 
introduced to Greece and Cyprus. In the latter 
eountry they lasted eight days, of which the first 
four were spent in howling and lamenting, and the 
four last in joyful clamors, as if Adonis had re- 
turned to life. The orgies, in connection with these 
feasts, were immoral in the extreme, and we are 
told that Pygmalion, the celebrated statuary of Cy- 
prus, was so disgusted by the profligacy of the 
women of Amathus, that he resolved never to marry. 
The affection he had denied to the other sex, he, 
therefore, liberally poured forth upon the creation 
of his own hands. He became enamored of a 
beautiful marble statue he had made, and at his 
earnest request and prayers, the Goddess of Love 
changed the favorite statue into a woman, whom 
the artist married, and by whom he had a son named 
Paphos, who founded the city of that name in Cy- 
prus. 

The ascent of Amathus would well repay any one 
who would attempt it, if only for the magnificent 
view presented from its summit. On one side liesa 
broad expanse of blue sea, and on the other a semi- 
circle of dark heights and peaks, whilst between the 
two extends the gay and luxuriant valley, stretching 
its fruitful fields and gardens to the shore. 


224 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


“ Under the Ptolemies,” says Cesnola, “and in the 
Jater history of Cyprus, Amathus appears to have 
lost the ancient importance which it enjoyed, when 
ruled by its own kings, and when its natural allies, 
the Persians, were all-powerful.” 

“On the hill on which it stood nothing is now 
visible but a vast amount of stones, plaster, and 
broken pottery. Even the hill itself is fast losing its 
form, while the rock of which it is composed is being 
cut away, to be shipped at Port Said, bringing to 
the merchants of Limasol a profitable return. From 
the great amount of débris which covers the sur- 
rounding fields, for the most part untilled, Amathus, 
it would seem, though small in area, must have 
been a thickly-populated city. Originally the upper 
part of the hill had been encircled by a wall, re- 
mains of which are now scarcely perceptible; por- 
tions, however, of another wall of a later period 
may especially be observed on the southern side 
looking toward the sea, and following the sinuous 
windings of the hill. I found imbedded in this wall 
pieces of terra-cotta jars and fragments of granite 
columns, which had been used as building materials, 
On the southern side, portions of it ran as far as the 
shore. It is probable that the square-built ruin at 
the southern end of the hill formed a gateway, since, 
between the city and the seashore, there was, and 
still is, the high road to Paphos. On the crest of 
this hill I dug at several places, until I came to the 


AMATHUS. 225 


solid rock, but failed to discover any sculptured re- 
mains of importance. I found, however, sufficient 
evidence to convince me that most of the building 
materials of what I call the Pheenician city, had 
been used for the construction of the later Greek 
buildings.” 

“Amathus, when subsequently inhabited by a 
Greek population, spread itself in a more south- 
easterly direction, and nearer to the sea-shore, pro- 
tected by the second wall, which I spoke of, and 
though at the time of its destruction by King Rich- 
ard of England it was still the seat of the last Duke 
of Cyprus, Isaac Comnenas, it had already lost most 
of its splendor and importance.” 

“Jt was on the top of this hill, that M. de Vicue 
discovered the large stone vase which is now depos- 
ited in the museum of the Louvre. Near the same 
spot, there are fragments of what seems to have been 
a similar vase. In the immediate vicinity of the site 
where these vases were found, I dug up, on a former 
excursion, three large shafts of columns, of a hard 
bluish stone, resembling granite. I left them half- 
buried in the soil, with the intention of examining 
them on a future occasion; but when I returned, 
the columns had disappeared, having been broken 
up for building purposes. There are thousands of 
stones on the top and sides of this hill, which would 
equally well suit the purposes of these workmen, 


but it seems that they are possessed by some infatu- 
10* 


226 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


ation or evil mania for destroying whatever bears 
the traces of man’s handicraft. It is the more to be 
regretted, since among the ruins very few architect- 
ural or sculptured remains are now found.” 

Far away in the distance is the town of Limasol, 
washed by the waters of its beautiful and rounded 
bay, behind this, again, a long line of coast, and 
then the eye just discerns the promontory of Curias, 
stretching its length far into the sea, where it termi- 
nates in Capo delle Gatte. Cesnola gives an amus- 
ing account of the origin of this name, which is too 
interesting to be omitted. “On one occasion,” he 
says, “my mule was terrified by a sudden leap from 
a bush, of what appeared to me to be a cat; my guide 
assured me that both at this cape, and near to Ac- 
rotiri, there are wild cats, which hunt and destroy 
the asps abounding there. I at once recollected 
having read that the ‘Caloyers’ of the convent of 
Acrotiri raised and trained a superior breed of cats, 
which they imported from Constantinople, to kill 
the asps in their neighborhood. That at the toll- 
ing of a particular bell in the convent, these cats 
would come in to be fed twice a day, and then re- 
turn to their work of destruction. I suppose that 
it is called Capo delle Gatte in reference to these 
cats.” 

When we had descended the mountain, and were 
once more on the shore, I observed a number of 


black and half-black Egyptian sailors, all in rags, 


AMATHUS. 227 


who were busily employed in carrying stones to 
their ships which were anchored in the roads, Their 
captain looked on, smoking his pipe, and shaded 
from the sun by a small tent. Stones from the old- 
est city in Cyprus, going over to Port Said, to help 
in the construction of the newest town on the op- 
posite continent, near which a harbor is in course of 
construction destined to receive the ships coming ~ 
from every quarter of the globe; whilst here at my 
feet lay the ancient harbor of Amathus, of which 
nothing remains but its natural basin, formed by 
rocks which extend some distance into the sea. 


CHAPTER XXVIIL 
KARUBIEH AND MAZOTOs, 


Wuen we left Amathus, our road lay over a bar- 
ren mountainous tract, entirely destitute of every 
charm, but as we reached Cape Karubieh, a scene of 
great beauty opened up from the left to our view. ~ 
Before us lay a little town, looking as fresh and 
bright as if but quite recently built, with houses 
that appeared much more stately and substantial 
than any I had yet seen in Cyprus. To oursurprise 
these attractive-looking residences were closed and 
untenanted, and not a human creature was to be 
seen, except a solitary negro at a small inn where 
we got a cup of coffee. I afterward learned that 
the inhabitants of Karubieh, which number about 
one thousand, only return to their homes in August. 
At this season many ships anchor here to take in 
large cargoes of fruit for Trieste, Marseilles, Smyrna, 
Odessa, and St. Petersburg. The fields, from which 
all this superabundant harvest is produced, cover 
all the declivities of the sea-shore from Limasol to 
Mazotos. . The oxzce-despised carob-tree (Ceratonia 
siliqua) is now much esteemed, and the fruit, which 


was formerly only used either as food for cattle, or 
228 


KARUBIEH AND MAZOTOS. 229 


occasionally eaten during seasons of fasting, has be- 
come of great value. Of late years it has been dis- 
covered that the fruit is highly valuable for the 
making of excellent brandy, and the tree is therefore 
cultivated throughout this district with the utmost 
assiduity. About April the branches are lopped 
off, numerous shoots from fruitful trees are grafted 
on the trunks, and in a very short space of time the 
tree is covered with succulent pods. I mention this 
interesting fact, to prove of what this once fertile 
island is capable, when its products receive the neces- 
sary attention. In this instance, as in many oth- 
ers, gold is literally lying on the ground in Cyprus, 
ready to be picked up by those who have enterprise 
and energy. 

Our road from Cape Karubieh presented nothing 
of interest. The mountains gradually receded in- 
land, and the eye found nothing to relieve the mono- 
tony of the bare expanse of coast, until at length 
our further-progress in a direct line was stopped by 
a rocky promontory, which projected far into the 
sea. We were now obliged to turn inland, and 
soon reached higher ground, from whence we once 
more obtained a good view of thé purple and deep 
blue mountains, and could see their tints gradually 
deepen under the shadow of approaching night. It 
was late before we reached Mazotos, and I at once 
endeavored to obtain a lodging, in the house of 


= Seem =, 
some well-to-do farmer, from whom I might hope to 


230 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


learn many interesting particulars concerning the 
manners and customs of the people. As we entered 
the town, I observed a court-yard leading from a 
stable to a small house within. At the left-hand 
side was a flight of stone steps, conducting to an 
upper chamber, which, it being harvest time, was 
now filled with corn. 

Opposite this was the large roomy apartment, 
that served for living and sleeping room to the 
whole family. The floor was covered with tiles, and 
the room divided in the centre by an arch. A stone 
ledge of imposing appearance projected from one of 
the walls, and was well garnished with household 
utensils, whilst upon the whitewashed walls hung 
the clothes, nets, hammocks, and long baskets be- 
longing to the family. Large pitchers.of red clay, 
and numerous calabashes, stood about, filled with 
bread, eggs, fruit, maize, and vegetables. The kitch- 
en was outside in the yard, and I could not avoid 
noticing the cheerful alacrity and skill displayed by 
our worthy hostess, whilst she prepared our evening 
meal. Servants she had none, everything in the in- 
terior of the house being done by the members of 
the family, whilst out of doors they were assisted 
about the farm and garden by day laborers. In 
Cyprus, the soil is so light that a farmer will readily 
plow over thirty acres of ground with one yoke 
‘of oxen, and see his land reward his labors by bring: 
ing forth its fruits thirtyfold. The processes of 


KARUBIEH AND MAZOTOS. 231 


sowing and reaping are equally carelessly performed, 
and when this is over, but few farmers touch the 
fields again. For this reason, without a farmer has 
really extensive property, he does not incur the ex- 
pense of board and wages to regular men. During 
the harvest-time a day laborer receives three shill- 
ings a day and three meals. Should a farmer not 
be inclined to comply with their demands, he will 
stand, as with us, a very good chance of having his 
corn spoilt, before he can get.it into his barns. At 
other seasons the men cannot obtain more than from 
elevenpence to one shilling and threepence, and the 
women from about fivepence to eightpence per day. 
Small as is the sum, it amply suffices to provide all 
that the lower class of Cypriotes require, sleeping as 
they do for nine months of the year in the open air. 
Food, such as they principally consume, is extremely 
cheap, and we have it upon the authority of a gen- 
tleman who knows the island well, Consul Lang,. 
that a family of six persons can be maintained in 
perfect health and activity on an allowance of forty 
pounds of flour and three pounds of olives per week. 
In ordinary seasons the cost of this quantity of pro- 
visions would not. exceed three shillings and six- 
pence. Cesnola mentions that he has frequently 
seen Greek priests in Cyprus working in the fields 
like common peasants. 

Contrary to all my experience in Cyprus, when 
we quitted the farmer’s house, the worthy host at 


232: CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


once complied with my request, that he would 
make some charge for our accommodation. This I 
accounted for by the fact, that the house standing 
on the highway between Limasol and Larnaka, 
would probably attract the attention of more stran- 
gers than could be comfortably entertained without 
proper remuneration. A present to the poor, if 
your resting-place has been a convent, or a little 
remembrance to the children of a family, is the most 
that is expected throughout all those parts of the 
East through which I have traveled, whilst should 
your entertainer be a man of position and means, 
you cannot, without giving offense, do more than 
offer a “ pour boire” to the four or five men-servants 
who will appear at the door to see you start. 

Our last day’s journey, which was short but de- 
lightful, lay over a wide tract of cornfields, in tra- 
versing which we passed the village of Kiti, with its 
little church, embowered in fruit trees, and not far 
from it another church standing on a piece of barren 
ground, without a shrub or tree near it. On our 
left towered a magnificent mountain, which rises 
abruptly to a height of two thousand feet, and bears 
upon its summit the once celebrated monastery of 
the Holy Cross, or Hagios Stavros. This building, 
which is rarely or never obscured by clouds or fog, 
can be seen from a considerable distance at sea, and 
has long been known to sailors as a landmark. St. 
Helena is supposed to have presented this cloister 


KARUBIEH AND MAZOTOS. 233 


with a valuable relic, which brought many pilgrims 
and gifts to the brotherhood. This was a piece of 
wood, about as long as a finger, fashioned like a 
cross, mounted in silver, and had the reputation of 
being a veritable portion of the Saviour’s cross. 

Whilst it was still light, we came in sight of 
Larnakai; the cornfields were crowded with laborers _ 
gathering in the harvest, and these, being princi- 
pally Greeks, and therefore very conversational, we 
could hear a lively hum of many voices long before 
we reached the spot. We dined under the shadow 
of a large fig-tree, which grew upon the brink of a 
rippling stream. Numerous cranes, and whole hosts 
of beccaficos, came within such tempting reach of 
our guns, that, as soon as our repast was over, we 
started after them, over fields where horses and 
camels were grazing, and over marshy ground, 
until we reached the rolling, glittering sea. Our 
sport was excellent, for my dragoman knew every 
eall and wile by which the birds could be allured, 
and it required some determination, when it was 
time to return, to quit our delightful but peculiar 
shooting-ground. 

On my return to Larnaka I had the luck to chance 
upon some dear friends, with whom I supped. Our 
host produced the best his cellar contained, in vari- 
ous sorts of wine, winding up with a bottle fifty 
years old, most delicious, but so strong that discre- 
tion only permitted us to taste it in thimblefuls. 


234 _ CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


Next day I paid many visits in the town, and was 
amused to find with what astonishment the history 
of my little journey across the island was received. 
I really believe that at that time there was not a 
single. person in the island who had seen as much of 
Cyprus as myself, 


CHAPTER XXTX. 
LAST DAYS IN LARNAKA, 


_ In my eagerness to obtain all possible informa. 
tion concerning the manners and customs of the 
people, I had often to encounter much disappoint- 
ment. Imagine my disgust upon one occasion, when, 
having heard that a very rare and charming perform- 
ance was about to take place, and having hurried 
to the spot indicated, a little coffee-house, I found 
the anticipated treat was nothing more nor less than 
the clumsy antics of a half-naked negress, probably 
a new arrival from Egypt, who was performing one 
of the hideous dances of which I had already seen 
too much. <A few Turks sat around, watching her 
contortions and tremblings with unruffled dignity, 
and amongst the spectators I noticed some really re- 
spectable-looking Greeks. I speedily left the assem- 
bly, and reflected as I retired, as to whether this 
species of dance, might not have been the very kind 
_ performed, but in more graceful fashion, by the 
worshippers of Aphrodite, in the sacred groves 
that surrounded her temples. The next day was 
the feast of St. George the Martyr, which is regarded 
as a political as well as a religious celebration by 


the numerous Grecians in the island. This day is 
235 


236 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


chosen as being the féte of King George of Greece, 
who they still regard as their lawful head. 

It cannot but be regarded as a most strange coin- 
cidence, that the tutelar saint of England and her 
new possession, should be one and the same. St. 
George was regarded by several Eastern nations. as 
their patron, and ancient Byzantine historians re- 
late accounts of many battles gained, and miracles 
wrought, by his intercession. Among other churches, 
five or six were dedicated to him at Constantinople. 
He was also celebrated in France in the sixth cen- 
tury, and is said to have been chosen as the patron 
saint of England under her Norman kings. St. 
George of Cappadocia, “ Martyr and Victor,” as he 
is sometimes styled, one of the seven champions of 
Christendom, was, no doubt, brought into connece- 
tion with Cyprus, under the influence of Richard 
and his knights. 

The legend of the saint is as follows: St. George, 
who was born in Cappadocia, went with his mother 
to Palestine, of which country she was a native, and 
where she had considerable estates. These fell to 
her son, who was a soldier, and became a tribune, 
and was further promoted by the Emperor Diocle- 
sian, to whom, however, he resigned his commission 
when that emperor made war against the Christian 
religion. He was thrown into prison for remon- 
strating against bloody edicts, and was afterward 
beheaded at Nicomedia. St. George became the 


LAST DAYS IN LARNAKA. 237 


patron of the soldiers who fought for the faith, and 
his apparition is said to have encouraged the Chris- 
tian army in the Holy War, before the battle of 
Antioch, which proved fortunate under Godfrey of 
Bouillon, and he is also said to have appeared and 
inspirited Richard Ceeur de Lion, in his expedition 
against the Saracens. St. George is usually repre- 
sented in pictures as on horseback, slaying a dragon ; 
but this is no more than an emblematical figure, 
purporting that by his faith and Christian fortitude, 
he had overcome the devil. 

The great majority of the population of Larnaka, 
as of the rest of the island, are members of the 
Greek Church. . 

The chief points.of difference between the Greek 
Church and that of Rome, are the following: 

The Greek Church does not admit: First. The 
supremacy of Rome. 

Secondly. The Filioque clause in the creed. 

Thirdly. The enforced celibacy of the parochial 
clergy (the reason of this being that although the 
monastic system had begun before the schism, the 
celibacy of the regular clergy had not been en- 
forced till a later period, and this was adopted by 
the Greek Church). 

Fourthly. The doctrine of transubstantiation, in 
the Papal sense of that term, is not held by the 
Greek Church; (Rome itself did not adopt this 
strange tenet till the Council of Lateran in 1215). 


238 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


Fifthly. The dogmas of purgatory and penance, 
as taught by Rome, are not held by the Greek 
Church, yet some of their views bear a close resem- 
blance to the papal theories on these points. 

Sixthly. The Greek Church disagrees with that 
of Rome about the use of leaven in the Eucharist. 
In almost all other respects there is little difference be- 
tween the churches. The Greek Church is thorough- 
ly hierarchal, holds the monastic system, worships 
pictures (although it rejects the worship of images), 
and gives to the Virgin Mary as high a degree of 
worship as even Rome can do; its theory of the 
Panagia being scarcely distinguishable from that of 
the Immaculate Conception. 

The officiating clergy of the Greek Church are 
the patriarch, archbishops, and bishops; subordi- 
nate to these are the papades or parish priests. All 
the dignitaries are taken from among the caloyers 
or monastic orders, and are not allowed to marry, 
but the papades may be married, with these special 
limitations: That they are married previous to 
their consecration, and may not marry a second 
time, should they become widowers. Hence they 
are commonly married before taking orders, and in- 
variably select young and healthy women for their 
wives. The revenues of the dignitaries are raised 
by a tax imposed on each family, while the parish 
priests are supported chiefly by means of what 
they can obtain from the superstitions of the peo- 


LAST DAYS IN LARNAKA. 239 


ple, and perquisites of office, such as money paid for 
absolutions, benedictions, exorcism, ceremonial sanc- 
tifying of water, sprinklings of streets and tombs, 
granting divorces, and innumerable ritualistic obser- 
vances. They are almost universally a base and 
degraded class, themselves extremely ignorant, and 
they keep the people in equal degradation and igno- 
rance, partly because such is their own state, and 
partly that they may secure their own influence. 
Their places of worship are built generally in form 
of across, The choir is always placed toward the 
east, andthe people turn their faces in that direc- 
tion when they pray. Their public religious ser- 
vice is liturgical, and exceedingly protracted. They 
have four liturgies, and the service consists chiefly 
of prayers, hymns, recitations, chants, and frequent 
crossings, with such numerous repetitions that it 
often occupies five or six hours, without any sermon, 

During this long service, the people stand, lean. 
ing on the supports of the few seats in the church, 
or on a kind of crutches, provided for the purpose. 
No images are allowed within their churches, but 
they are plentifully decorated with rough and glar- 
ing paintings; the more rough and glaring these 
are, the higher they stand in the estimation of the 
worshippers. Their music is without, any aid from 
instruments, and is chiefly a kind of chanting, but 
it is said to be often beautiful and touchingly plain- 
tive, although monotonous. The vestments of the 


240 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


clergy are very varied in form, often of fine texture, 
gorgeous in color, and ornamented with jewelry of 
great value. Each of these vestments has its mys- 
tic meaning and virtue, to which great importance 
is attached. The worship of saints, angels, and the 
Virgin Mary, is carried to as great an excess as it 
can be at Rome, and it is long since the Greek 
Church held, that “the Mother of God” as they 
term her, “was without original.” It may be said, 
indeed, that the Panagia, or Holy Virgin, is the 
peculiar deity of the Greeks, as much as ever Pallas 
Athene was of the ancient Athenians. Everywhere, 
in church, palace, or cottage, a little coarse picture 
intended to represent the Holy Virgin, may be 
seen, often with a lamp burning before it, as the 
object of special adoration. 

Being desirous of seeing something of the festivi- 
ties of the Cypriotes on their féte day, I walked out 
to a church about half a league from the “ Marina,” 
and in spite of the scenery around me, could have 
fancied I was again witnessing one of the annual 
markets [ had seen as a boy in my native land. 
Around and about the church, booths were ranged, 
and peasants were wandering around, chatting and 
eagerly driving bargains, under an impression very 
prevalent amongst them, that there will not be the 
usual deceit and roguery so near a house of God. 
Bells were pealing, and horses and asses neighing 
and whinnying, as their owners, dressed in their Sun- 


LAST DAYS IN LARNAKA. 241 


day best, galloped about in all directions. All 
those of the better class who appeared on the occa- 
sion, were also mounted, the elders looking on in 
stately dignity, whilst the youngsters galloped 
hither and thither like the wind. 

In such a gathering as this in Central Europe, 
one would, no doubt, see many more powerful men, 
and.more blooming girls, than are to be met with 
under similar circumstances in Cyprus. And as I 
gazed at the crowds before me, I could not help 
again noticing the strange blending of Syrian and 
Grecian types in the faces and figures, whilst the 
dress of most was a curious mixture of European, 
Grecian, and Turkish fashions. Many of the girls 
were remarkably beautiful, with magnificent large 
flashing eyes; in most cases their eyebrows were 
blackened, and their hair, mixed with false, was 
piled high on the head. Not a few, as it appeared 
to me, had dipped pretty deeply into pots of cosmet- 
ics, for the use and compounding of which the fair 
Cypriotes have long been noted. One fashion ° 
pleased me much—namely, the common use of natu- 
ral flowers for decorating the head. The very poor- 
est in the crowd wore some kind of metal orna- 
ments, whilst the wealthier class of women displayed 
ear-rings, chains, and medallions of heavy gold. 
The Cypriote husband takes great pride in seeing 
his wife thus decked, not perhaps so much from 
sentimental reasons, as because the extent of the 

11 ' 


242, CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


show demonstrates what is the depth of his cash- 
box, and the chances of his family in the matter of 
dowries. For a Cypriote to invest his earnings in 
land would, under the late Government, have been 
an act involving the utmost risk of capital. 

As I returned home on this my last day in Cy- 
prus, I could not but feel a shade of melancholy 
stealing over me. ‘The evening was lovely, the air 
pure and clear, and the sun as it went down, tipped 
the purple mountains with gold, and gave a tinge of 
bronze to the palms and cypress trees of Larnaka, 
as they stood clearly defined against the evening 
sky. 

When I reached the town, old and young were 
sitting before the doors of the Grecian houses, or 
chatting and laughing with each other in lively 
groups about the streets. In the Turkish quarters, 
on the contrary, not a living creature was visible, 
and every house had the appearance of being a 
dungeon. Yet, as I have before said, could I have 
looked within the high walls, I should probably 
have seen the entire family enjoying the fragrant 
coolness of their gardens. 

Next day, I bade farewell to this lovely island 
which still lay bound hand and foot, in the power or 
her negligent and cruel masters, and entirely uncon- 
scious of the great and important change that would 
shortly burst her bonds. 

May we not trust that under British rule her 


. 


LAST DAYS IN LARNAKA, 243 


barren wastes and plains may once more speedily be- 
come fruitful fields, and her people again reap the 
blessings and benefits of a pure Christian Church 
and a paternal Government ? 


CHAPTER XXX. 
EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 


So much attention has lately been called to the 
concluding chapters of Herr von Loher’s most in- 
teresting work, that we feel compelled to present 
them, in an English form, even at the risk of incur- 
ring blame in some quarters, for unnecessary repeti- 
tion. Throughout the whole of his travels in the 
island, our author, shocked at the scenes of neglect 
and mismanagement presented to his eyes, was con- 
stantly indulging in reflections on what a different 
fate might await its inhabitants could they be an- 
nexed to the mighty empire of his fatherland. In- 
dulging in this strain of thought, he presents us 
with a lengthy account of what was done there by 
his countrymen in former days. 

In a short and rapid sketch of these pages, we 
will endeavor to give only such details as may be 
new and interesting to our readers, and suppressing 
as far as possible all such matter as has already 
appeared in the body of the work. Long after the 
Crusaders had been expelled from the Holy Land, 
says Liher, they still retained the fortresses of Jaffa, 
Akkon, Tyre, Sidon, Beyrut, Cvzsarea, See 

2 


EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 945 


Tripoli, and other strongholds, the governors of 
which ruled over, and gave commands to, a multi- 
tude of knights and people there resident. The 
Christian forces, then dispersed over all Syria, 
should have united under the imperial leadership, 
and opposed their serried ranks to the forces of the 
Crescent. This was manifestly the plan of the sec- 
ond Frederick, Emperor of Germany, whose idea 
was, to put the Christian forces under the command 
of Hermann von Salza, the renowned Preceptor of 
the German order. This was he, who, in a confer: 
ence at Ferentino, at which the Pope, the Emperor, 
and King John of Jerusalem were present, proposed. 
that Frederick should marry Isabella, the daughter 
of the last-mentioned sovereign, and thus ally her in- 
heritance, the kingdom of Jerusalem, with his pos- 
sessions, whilst her father should merely have the 
honor of being nominally a king. The proposal 
was received joyfully by all parties. The imperial 
marriage took place in the year 1225, at Brindisi, 
where the bride’s father surrendered the sceptre of 
Jerusalem into the hands of his new son-in-law— 
not, however, without compulsion. Frederick forth- 
with received the homage of all present, and sent a 
herald with three hundred knights to the Holy 
Land, to ratify and complete the homage paid to 
the emperor—who, if he intended to bring the cru- 
sade to a successful end, must necessarily be the 
legitimate lord of the soil. 


246 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


The Cyprians, however, thought that Frederick, 
after a time, would be in a position to assume the 
feudal sovereignty of their island, for the kingdom 
had in former times been an appanage of the Em- 
peror Heinrich the Sixth, his grandfather. The 
late King Hugo the First had been for ten years en- 
gaged in the crusade, and when he died, his only son, 
the heir to the throne, was but nine months old. 

The Emperor Frederick the Second at length 
discovered how powerless he was to remodel the 
affairs of the East. The knights and merchants 
had ordered matters according to their own pleas- 
ure. The barons with their feudal retainers occu- 
pied their castles in perfect independence; the king 
was only their leader, and the feudal parliament the 
court in which they decided everything according 
to their pleasure. With these uncontrolled nobles 
we must rank three orders of knights, forming as 
many well-established and wealthy brotherhoods, 
in which the military and monkish characteristics 
were united. These ecclesiastica) warriors were 
armed in complete steel, and claimed princely pre- 
rogatives. In the towns were guilds and corpora: 
tions, combinations of merchants and men of busi- 
ness, who watched over their own interest, and re- 
sisted the innovations of the arrogant nobility. 
Among all these petty powers, who were inces- 
santly quarreling among themselves, Frederick 
found it a difficult task to introduce harmony, and 


EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CyPRuUS. 247 


harder still to bring them to acquiesce in his au- 
thority. 

Frederick had already proclaimed in Ferentino, 
that the conquest of the Holy Land should no longer 
be carried on in the name of the knights, but of the 
king only, thus intimating that the whole of it 
should belong to himself. In Cyprus, matters were 
arranged upon a very different basis; here the su- 
preme authority was shared among the barons, and 
the power of the king jealously circumscribed. 

So long as the authority of the emperor was main- 
tained in Cyprus, he held the key of all the opposite 
coasts of Syria, Asia Minor, and Egypt, and con- 
sequently, to possess the sovereign power in this 
island, was from first to last the great object of Ori- 
ental policy. In 1218 the last King of Cyprus died, 
having on his death-bed appointed his wife, Alice, 
regent. The knights, unwilling to submit to the 
authority of a woman, compelled her to share her 
rule in the island with Philip of Ibelin as co-regent. 
Meanwhile feuds sprang up on all sides, and every 
occurrence seemed to increase the discord. The 
Franks in the East had been vitiated by Byzantine 
manners, and fought each other with the bitterest 
hatred, quite unmindful of their original mission, 
which was to deliver the Holy Land from the hea- 
then. Quarrels soon arose between the Latin and 
Greek Churches, and Cyprus became the arena 
where bloody combats took place. 


248 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


Frederick now entered the capital of Cyprus, and 
there allthe princes and barons interceded for Ibelin, 
who declared that he and all his followers were 
ready to submit to the emperor, and atone for their 
delinquencies. The emperor did not seek revenge, 
but simple justice; and was extremely desirous of 
securing the support of Cyprus, and the wealth 
obtainable from that source, and thus the affair was 
soon arranged; the barons, under the emperor's 
command, acquiesced, and a general amnesty was 
proclaimed upon the following terms: 

The emperor was to be the sole guardian of the 
young king until he completed his twenty-fifth year. 
The government of Cyprus and its revenues should 
be placed in the hands of the emperor, and all the 
fortified places in the kingdom delivered up to him. 
All the Cyprian knights who had not sworn fealty 
to the emperor should immediately take the oath of 
allegiance. Ibelin, in behalf of the ruler of Beyrut, 
recognized the emperor as King of Jerusalem, and 
did homage to him under that title, and agreed that 
all claims relative to the castle of Beyrut should 
be settled by the court of Jerusalem, and an account 
of all revenues due, since the death of King 
Hugo, should be laid before the court of Cyprus. 
The hostages demanded by the emperor were set at 
liberty. Ibelin and all the Cyprian barons, with their 
followers, were to accompany Frederick to the Holy 
Land,and serve him there till the end of the crusade. 


EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 249 


All these conditions were punctually carried out, 
the oath of allegiance administered, and the castles 
as well as the revenue, given up. The emperor had 
achieved a complete victory. Cyprus remained for 
several years under his command, and its king was 
formally declared a prince of the German empire. 
The emperor next appointed revenue officers and 
treasurers in all the castles and bailiwicks of the 
island, and made arrangements that the money thus 
raised should be sent after him into Syria. To these 
offices, as well as in garrisoning the castle, the em- 
peror appointed his own knights by preference, and 
these gladly accepted such desirable appointments. 

After all these things were arranged, the emperor 
eame to Famagusta, and the next day, the 2d of 
September, seven weeks after his landing in Cyprus, 
embarked, taking the young king with him, and 
accompanied by all the chivalry of the island. Their 
landing was effected at Beyrut, Sidon, Sarepta, and 
Tyre, as Frederick was desirous of becoming more 
intimately acquainted with the coast of Syria; he 
probably likewise intended that the armies of the 
Crusaders, employed upon the fortifications of Sidon 
and of Cxsarea, should enter Akkon while he re- 
mained upon the coast. In the last-mentioned city, 
the most populous and most important in the Holy 
Land, the emperor was received with great cere- 
mony. ‘The Crusaders, more especially those from 
Germany, were jubilant; the clergy sang hymns of 

1* 


250 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


praise; the Templars and the Knights of St. John 
did homage to their sovereign by kneeling before 
him and kissing his knees, according to the custom 
of the times. Nevertheless Frederick was well 
aware that, to use the words of an old writer, he 
was in a land where neither God nor man had ever 
yet found truth or loyalty. 

The truth of this he soon found out. The Cy- 
prians formed by far the greater part of the host 
of Eastern warriors, led by the High-Marshal Feling- 
her, but the number of these was not more than 
two thousand. -Rome had already taken her pre- 
cautions. A Papal bull was issued denouncing 
Frederick, and he was placed under an interdict. 
Messages both from the Pope and the Patriarch 
warned the knights not to obey the emperor’s com- 
mands, and it was promulgated amongst the sol. 
diery, that Frederick was under the curse of God, 
and of the Church, and that all his acts were of no 
effect. Multitudes of the Crusaders, despairing of 
the success of their undertaking, deserted. The 
Knights of the Temple and of St. John fell away 
from the emperor’s standard, and the rest of the 
warriors of the Cross refused to be led to battle. 
The Cyprian barons began to discuss the question 
whether the oath they had taken to Frederick, was 
not overridden by the feudal allegiance they owed 
to their king. 

The Germans who had come over with the em- 


EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 251 


peror under the command of their leader, Hermann 
von Salza, kept their plighted faith, and were the 
only supporters of the imperial authority; these, 
however, taking them all together, knights and 
squires, soldiers from Germany, Sicily, and Lom- 
bardy, hardly amounted to twelve thousand men. 
With so feeble an army—with the Eastern knights 
partly at open enmity, partly vacillating, with the 
clergy altogether inimical—it was quite. impossible 
for Frederick to think of giving battle to the unbe- 
lievers. He established himself in a camp near 
Akkon, and while he strengthened the defenses of 
Joppa, gave all his attention to the establishment 
of a secret understanding with the Sultan. Over- 
tures to this effect had in truth been already made 
by him from Italy, and during his stay in Cyprus 
had been still further advanced. 

Immediately on his arrival in the Holy Land, it 
became clear what were the necessities of his posi- 
tion, and what there might be a possibility of his 
obtaining. The possession of the holy places; a free 
pass for pilgrims in Syria and Palestine, who must 
necessarily be under Christian jurisdiction; peace 
secured by the strength of the fortress and the sol- 
emn oath of the Mussulmans; all these were se- 
cured. Jerusalem, which for nearly half a century 
had been in their hands, was, with the surrounding 
country, again placed in the power of the Chris. 
tians, who held, moreover, Bethlehem and the inter- 


252 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


vening land. Joppa and a strip of country between 
that town and Jerusalem; Nazareth and the road 
from thence to Akkon; the fertile plain of Sidon; 
and in. its neighborhood the castle Turon, command- 
ing the entire coast; all these castles and towns 
were permitted to be again fortified, and on the 
other side the Sultan promised that he would raise 
no new fortifications. All Christian prisoners, some 
of whom had been a long while in the hands of the 
Mussulmans, were to be set free. This peace was 
to last during ten years. All these arrangements 
were to be confirmed by the solemn oaths of both 
the contracting parties. 

When the terms of this peace became known in 
Joppa, great joy was manifested by the Christians 
who accompanied the emperor to Jerusalem, where, 
on the day of his arrival (March 18, 1229), he of- 
fered up thanks in the church of the Holy Sepul- 
chre. After this, approaching the high altar, he 
placed the crown of Jerusalem upon his head, and 
then returned to his place. No priest was allowed 
to take part in the rejoicings, which included festi- 
vities of every description. Their general, Hermann 
von Salza, read before all the soldiers and common 
people a manifesto by the emperor, explaining why 
he had not been able to come before, and telling 
them that the Pope had been compelled to publish 
his ban by pressure of circumstances, and that 
everything should now be arranged to secure peace 


EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 253 © 


among the heads of Christendom. Next day the 
Patriarch of Jerusalem assailed him with the Papal 
interdict. Frederick, in order to give no pretense 
for suppressing public worship, returned to Joppa, 
and from thence to Akkon. 

Here the emperor remained for about five weeks, 
doing everything which his position allowed to make 
peace with the adherents of the Pope, at the head 
of whom stood the Patriarch of Jerusalem. The 
patriarch, however, found him, to use his own ex-- 
pression, “unhealthy from the crown of his head to 
the sole of his foot,” and seemed rather exasperated 
than otherwise at all the good that Frederick had 
achieved in so short a time. The proud Templars 
and Knights of St. John were furious because the 
chief control lay no longer with them, but with the 
Germans. Even the ecclesiastics were principally 
from France, very few of them from Italy. Prob- 
ably at no period of the world’s history has a body 
of men existed so steeped in pride, so full of haugh- 
tiness, luxury, and immorality, as the Templars. 
Well might they think that in his heart the em- 
peror had the intention of expelling them from the 
Holy Land. The governors of the towns had in- 
structions to watch them strictly, and from his first 
arrival in Syria, the emperor had endeavored to 
give the ascendancy to his German followers, while 
he scarcely concealed his design of making the huge 
possessions of the Templars and Knights of Jerusalem 


254 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


subservient to the worship of Christ, instead of 
ministering to their insatiable debaucheries. 

No wonder, therefore, that the burning hatred of 
the Templars was aroused. Were it now possible 
to trace out all their conspiracies against the life of 
Frederick, we should indeed have to deal with a 
tangled web, while the enmity of the Pope still fur- 
ther increased the dangers that surrounded him. 
The whole land was filled with the Papal troops, 
_ whose business was to plunder and to destroy, so 
that all the energies of the emperor were put in re- 
quisition to govern and defend the unhappy coun- 
try. Balian of Sidon, a sian universally respected, 
a nephew of Ibelin, and Walter d’ Allemand, who 
deeply reverenced the Church, were appointed chief 
governors, and all fortified places received efficient 
garrisons and abundant supplies of provisions. 

Above everything else, Frederick had in his mind 
the kingdom of Cyprus. That rich island must now 
furnish him with money to pay his officials in the 
Holy Land, and to supply his army with provisions 
and warlike stores. The kingdom of Jerusalem 
was no longer in a condition to pay the heavy 
costs; it now indeed consisted only of a few strag- 
gling towns, and a narrow strip of the sea-coast of 
Syria. Cyprus had already been made to pay con- 
siderable sums, which had been forwarded to the 
emperor, and in addition to these, the Archbishop 
of Nikosia found himself compelled to contribute 


EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 255 


largely ; and now, before taking their departure for 
Akkon, came Amalrich von Balas, Hugo von Giblet, 
Gavain von Chenichy, and Wilhelm von Rivet, all 
belonging to the highest nobility in Cyprus, who 
had all of them conspired against Ibelin, and so rep- 
resented him to the emperor, that he was deprived 
of his lordship. Undoubtedly they had all been 
sent for by the emperor himself, who thought that 
the best way to insure the safety of the island, was 
to put it into the hands of his most trusty friends, 
under the auspices of the young king. These five 
noblemen were instructed to form a regency, which 
should continue for three years, during which time 
they were to protect and govern the country, and 
to send over year by year ten thousand marks to be 
paid directly into the hands of Balian and Werner 
in Syria. 

And now, after these arrangements, the emperor 
thought himself secure, and hoped that at least for 
a few years he should be able, not only to hold 
Cyprus, but also to defend his little kingdom of 
Jerusalem. At.the end of that time he trusted that 
the people would have become accustomed to his 
government, or that at least he should be able to 
return with a greater force and more freedom of ac- 
tion. 

That Frederick did accomplish a great and good 
work in the Holy Land there can be no doubt. It 
is impossible to read the letters or records handed 


256 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


down from those times, without remarking that 
amidst the whirl of events, where ambition, hatred, 
avarice, and national jealousy reigned on all sides, 
obscuring and crippling all efforts to do good, the 
honest endeavors of Frederick to ameliorate the 
condition of the country, were not altogether un- 
successful. 

On the Ist of May, after a stay of not more than 
eight months in the Holy Land, the emperor took 
ship at Akkon, accompanied by the young King of 
Cyprus and the Marquis of Montserrat. As the 
boat which put him on board left the land, Ibelin’ 
shouted after him a parting adieu, on which the 
emperor called out to the assembled multitude, that 
his mind was quite at ease, inasmuch as he knew 
that he left them in good hands. 

The imperial fleet crossed over to Limasol, and 
here Frederick celebrated the marriage of his ward, 
the young king, with Alice, daughter of the Marquis 
of Montserrat. He then put in order the affairs of 
the island, arranging that the regency should regu- 
larly transmit to the governors of Jerusalem or Ak- 
kon money wherewith to supply the garrisons and 
officials in the Holy Land. 

The emperor attached great importance to the 
possession of the Cyprian castles and fortresses. 
Already in the preceding year he had made every 
preparation for their defense, by putting each of 
them under the command of some distinguished of.- 


EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 257 


ficer, and had brought with him from Akkon what- 
ever could be spared in the way of munitions of 
war, for their safe keeping. As he was about to 
leave the island for the second time, he stipulated 
that the regents should have no power over the 
castles until the transmission of the money to the 
Holy Land had been regularly completed. 

The seaboard of Cyprus at that time had no for- 
tresses, with the exception of the capital city Niko- 
sia; even on the south-western coast, where a moun- 
tainous district occupies nearly one-half of the island, 
there was no castle of importance; the hills more- 
over must at that time have been covered with wild- 
growing forests. The life and wealth of the island 
consisted in the rich maritime slopes and fertile 
plains, which extended along the shore from Fama. 
gusta and Larnaka, as far as the mountainous tract 
which extends all along the northern side of the 
island. 

Behind the chain of mountains, are narrow slips 
of fertile soil, producing abundance of excellent 
fruit, in the midst of which is the principal haven, 
- Keryneia. From this town deep dells and rocky 
gorges run up into the mountains, leading to the 
fortresses St. Hilarion, Buffavento, and Kantara. 
These three castles are built upon the smaller chain 
of mountains, which, rugged and steep, rear them- 
selves in innumerable peaks and crags to a consider- 
able altitude. 


258 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


Before the time of Frederick the Second, Buffa- 
vento is scarcely mentioned, but it then became one 
of the principal defenses of the island; indeed it 
seems to have been quite impregnable, so long as 
food and water could be procured on the summit of 
the mountain upon which it stood. Victuals were, 
however, much more easily obtainable on the heights 
of St. Hilarion, a much larger place, situated a little 
farther westward. Even Kantara, lying to the 
north-east, could boast of more than one wall. 

The town of Keryneia, however, where the haven 
was situated, was most strongly fortified, inasmuch 
as it was well adapted to the reception of food and 
military stores arriving from the coasts of Syria, 
Asia Minor, or even Italy, which could be immed: 
ately forwarded to the fortresses above mentioned. 

Had the eagle eye of Frederick at once seen how 
Cyprus could best be defended by a limited body 
of troops, he could not have been better prepared 
for the events which subsequently happened. A 
war soon broke out, which, during several years, con- 
tinued to rage throughout the island, the history of 
which gives a most variegated picture of the doings 
of the knights beyond the sea, chevalerie @outre-mer, 
as they were called by the Eastern warriors. 

Homeric combats upon a fair field, trials by bat- 
tle, the beleaguering and defense of castles, codes 
laying down the nicest points of honor or of right, 
biting satires and new war songs, followed each 
































































































































y 
LN 
UE i 


i 1h 
HAL 
h Wilh 








. 





EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 259 


other as incessantly as did the victories or the de- 
feats of the combatants. That all the knights dis- 
played wonderful bravery is undeniable. As the 
head of the imperial forces, we may mention the 
knightly Marshal Felingher, Balas, called by Navarra 
in his history, “the Fox,” and Hugo de Giblet, who, 
on account of his grimaces, was nicknamed “the 
Ape.” Ibelin seems to have made himself more 
conspicuous than the rest. His brave sons and 
their friend, the merry poet, Philip of Navarre, as 
also the wild “fighting cock” Anselm de Brie, af- 
forded materials for innumerable anecdotes, 

All this time Cyprus suffered severely, owing to 
the discord which existed between two parties of 
nobles, whose enmity at length involved Syria and 
Palestine, where the Templars and Knights of St. 
John, together with what was left of the priesthood, 
raged with unmeasured hatred against the emperor, 
whose witty jests, aimed at the silly practices of the 
monks, had given great offense, more especially when, 
after the example of the Templars, they displayed 
their insatiable avarice. The dissensions among the 
Cyprian. nobles were, indeed, the cause why all the 
arrangements made by the wisdom and care of 
Frederick, in treating with the Mussulmans, fell to 
the ground, | 

Still, for a time, the treaty which had cost so 
much trouble continued in force, notwithstanding 
that one of the two governors in the Holy Land, in 


260 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


whom the Emperor had reposed so much trust, 
Walter d’Allemand, joined the party of his mortal 
enemies, and himself became a Templar. Frederick, 
meanwhile, had scarcely set foot in Italy, than he 
fell like a thunderstorm upon the Papal soldiers, 
and fairly swept them from his territories. He then 
began to diminish somewhat the possessions of the 
Templars, who had multiplied in Italy with a ra- 
pidity almost incredible. In truth, wherever a chap- 
ter of the order was established, the country 
around was immediately put under contribution, 
and so many farms, mills, castles, and woods were 
taken possession of, either by way of purchase or 
exchange, or seized upon as donations, that their 
power increased wonderfully. From the Templars, 
more especially, a ery soon rose that Frederick in- 
tended to make the kingdoms of Jerusalem and 
Cyprus portions of his empire, so that they would 
both belong exclusively to the Germans, a cry which 
was incessantly repeated by the Jerusalem patriarch. 
It is also said that, seeing that the kingdom of Je- 
rusalem would be inherited by Frederick’s little son, 
Conrad, his proper guardian would be the. nearest 
relative of the last wearer of that crown, they, there- 
fore, wished to put him under the care of the Queen 
Alice, and in this way-prolong the duration of the 
regency. 

It now became evident that the rule of the em- 
peror in the Holy Land would not be of long dura- 


EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 261 


tion, and his enemies next resolved to endeavor to 
wrest from him the kingdom of Cyprus. Still, the 
regency of five retained supreme command in that 
island, and acted altogether in accordance with the 
emperor’s instructions. The young king wrote to 
his imperial guardian to,say how delighted he was 
at the advantages obtained over his enemies, but 
that he was grieved to find that the emperor did 
not write to him more frequently concerning his 
views and projects, and still more so, that he could 
not explain matters to him én propria persona. 

The Ibelins, in the meanwhile, were in want of 
some pretext for raising an insurrection in Cyprus. 
About the spring of 1230, there was a call for an 
extraordinary tax of about three thousand marks, 
which the emperor had directed to be sent to the 
Holy Land. The knights who were of Ibelin’s party 
declared against thin: assigning as a reason that, 
not having been aasented to by the feudal court, 
the imposition of a new tax was unlawful. As their 
stewards refused payment, their goods were seized, 
and the amount taken from them in corn and cattle. 

And now Philip of Navarre appeared upon the 
island, and secretly endeavored to raise adherents. 
At first his answers to the inquiries of the authori- 
ties seemed satisfactory, but as they became more 
and more evasive, the regency thought fit to compel 
him to show his true colors. All the barons were 
invited to attend the feudal court, and there, in the 


262 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


presence of the young king, were asked whether they 
were friends to the emperor, the king, and the regents, 
or whether they were to be regarded as enemies. 

A New Testament was brought, and Philip of 
Navarre was invited to swear true allegiance upon 
the holy book. He wished to speak privately to each 
of his questioners, but this was refused. He then 
declared that his fealty was due to the queen-mother, 
and to the lord Ibelin. At this Hugo von Giblet 
exclaimed in a rage, “If I had my way, you should 
be hanged, or I would have your tongue torn out,” 
and immediately ordered the arrest of the offender. 
On this Philip hastened to where the king was sit- 
ting, and, bending the knee, said that his safety had 
been guaranteed by the regents, as he would prove 
with his sword, and immediately taking off his 
glove cast it on the ground. 

Several knights endeayored to pick up the glove; 
but Philip cried out that he would only measure 
swords with the regents, as they only were his equals 
in rank; fetters were, however, soon brought into the 
hall, where the contumacious noble was imprisoned 
until the approach of darkness. The rest all took the 
required oath, and it was understood that all who 
refused to do so would forfeit their rich domains. 

In the night, while Philip’s conduct was the theme 
of every one’s conversation, he made his escape from 
the court-house, and presented himself in the clois- 
ters of the Knights of St, John, who immediately 


EFFORTS OF THE GERMAMS TO OBTAIN CyPRUS. 263 


afforded him shelter and protection. Here he 
assembled around his person about a hundred and 
fifty men, collected provisions and warlike stores, 
which were stored up in the strong tower of the 
castle, and resolved to defend himself against his 
pursuers. Meanwhile he sent a private message to 
Ibelin, informing him of all his proceedings, which 
he described in verse. 

The regents dared not to attack the monastery of 
St. John, which enjoyed all the privileges of a re- 
 ligious house, while Ibelin at once landed with a 
strong force in Gatria, and marched in all haste to 
Nikosia. The few troops which were hurriedly 
sent to oppose him were easily dispersed, and in a 
very short time he presented himself before the 
capital. For the sake of saving his honor, he had 
written a letter to the young king, saying how it 
pained both him and his followers to have left their 
allegiance in the Holy Land, but that they were 
unable to do otherwise, in order to defend their 
own possessions; should he blame them for their con- 
duct, they relied upon their rights as established by 
feudal law. The regents were utterly surprised ; 
they at once collected such forces as they could 
muster, and marched out through the city gates. 
In vain did they seek for priestly interference for 
the purpose of establishing peace between the con- 
flicting parties. On the 23d of June, a furious 
battle took place. The regents wore golden tiaras 


264 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


on their helmets. One of them, Gavain von Cheni- 
- chy, slew Ibelin’s father-in-law, the old constable ; 
Walter von Cesarea, Gerhardt von Montagu, and 
other friends of Ibelin, likewise lost their lives. The 
regents, however, were particularly anxious to get 
hold of Ibelin himself, and fifteen knights galloped 
forward in search of him. This, it would appear, 
caused considerable disorder amongst the imperial 
troops; and when Philip of Navarre, with a strong 
body of men, made his appearance upon the battle- 
field just at this critical moment, the troops of the 
regents were completely defeated. Ibelin, in the 
meanwhile, had sought refuge in a farm-house, where 
he was powerless to defend hiraself, but from which, 
after the battle, he was set at liberty by his son 
Balian and Anselm de Brie. 

And now appeared the foresight of the emperor 
in fortifying the castles upon the mountains, in 
which the vanquished troops found a safe asylum. 
On the very evening of the battle, Balas, Bethsan, 
and Giblet, bringing with them the young king and 
their best troops, repaired to St. Hilarion. Rivet, 
with his followers, sought protection in Buffavento, 
and Chenichy, by dint of spurring, succeeded ia 
reaching the still more distant castle of Kantara. 
From these three castles it was easy to reach the 
sea-coast at Keryneia. Ibelin, however, hastened 
to prevent their escape. While he himself sur. © 
rounded Keryneia, Balian took a position before St. 


EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 265 


Hilarion, Philip of Navarre before Buffavento, and 
Anselm de Brie before Kantara. 

Anselm had devised a new kind of battering ram, 
with which he broke down the outer wall, and as 
he personally hated Chenichy, laid in ambush 
watching for him day and night, until at length, 
taking an opportunity when the regent was seen on 
the battlements, took deadly aim at him and shot 
him with an arrow. Rivet, who knew Buffavento 
to be impregnable, came there from Kantara, and 
when he saw the fortalice was in good condition 
and well manned, went over into Asia Minor to 
bring over more troops, and was there killed. 

The three other regents occupied the extensive 
and strong fastnesses of St. Hilarion; here they not 
only repelled every attack, but every now and then 
made sallies, broke through the palisades of the be- 
siegers, and obtained fresh supplies. 

Upon one occasion Philip of Navarre was struck 
down, and fell as though dead. On seeing this a 
man upon the wall exclaimed, “The verse-maker is 
dead ; now we shall have no more of his bad songs.” 
Philip, however, recovered during the night, and 
the next day, taking up a tolerably safe position, he 
favored the garrison with a new ballad. 

The defenders of Keryneia became at length tired 
out; for a length of time they had received no pay, 
and had suffered much from want of provisions. A 
day ‘at are and if by that time no help appeared, 


266 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


they agreed to surrender, more especially as they 
saw that the castles were closely invested, and their 
occupants had no chance of escape. 

Ibelin was now enabled to bring up more troops 
to the siege of St. Hilarion. That fortress, however, 
was now no longer in a condition to brave him as 
it had done before; the place was closely invested on 
all sides, and the garrison in dire want of provisions, 
for by this time the insurgents had taken possession 
of the whole island; even the young king Heinrich 
suffered severely; he frequently made his appear-— 
ance upon the battlements and shouted to the be- 
siegers who had brought him to such straits. 

Ibelin next resolved to send Philip of Navarre, 
who had shown great ability in conducting nego- 
tiations, into Italy, hoping to obtain help, either 
from the Pope or from the King of France. 

At this juncture Ibelin proposed to Balian and 
his associates to surrender the young king and the 
fortress into his power, promising that if they did 
so, they should be well treated, and should retain in 
all honor whatever property they possessed. The 
garrison, which had long suffered the greatest priva- 
tions, and saw nothing before them but a lingering 
death from famine, at last consented, and Ibelin at- 
tained his object. Balas, Bethsan, and Giblet made 
over to him the youthful Heinrich, and took a sol- 
emn oath that they would not again bear arms 
against the insurgents. 


CHAPTER XXXTI. 


MARSHAL FELINGHER. 


Tue emperor could no longer hide from himself 
that Cyprus was lost, and his affairs in the Holy 
Land wore a very gloomy aspect. By his command, 
the governor of Cyprus issued a proclamation de- 
priving the Ibelins of all their feudal tenures, and 
a fleet was assembled consisting of eighteen galleys 
and fifteen transports, in the last of which were em- 
barked three hundred horsemen and two thousand 
foot soldiers. These were all placed under the com- 
mand of Marshal Felingher by a manifesto, to which 
was appended. a golden ball, appointing him Gov- 
ernor, Lord Chief Justice, and Generalissimo of the 
East, and at the same. time affording him every fa- 
cility for getting his troops together. Ibelin had 
taken the precaution to send spies into Italy, from 
whom he received secret information concerning 
everything that occurred there, and before the impe- 
rial fleet had left Brindisi, a swift sailing vessel was 
despatched, by which the spies returned speedily to 
the east, and soon reaching Akkon, where Ibelin 
was at that time encamped, made him acquainted 


_ with all the proceedings of the emperor. 
; 267 


268 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


Without loss of time, Ibelin assembled as many 
men as he and his friends could get together, and 
marched upon Beyrut, the defenses of which he 
strengthened, and then crossed over to Cyprus, 
where it was necessary to take care that on seeing 
the emperor’s fleet the Cyprians should not rouse 
their forces, and get the young king into their power. 
He tharstars collected all his adherents in Cyprus, 
knights and squires, and a considerable number of 
combatants, placing part of them at Limasol, under 
the pene of his eldest son Balian, and retain- 
ing the other part under his own oneal at Lar- 
naka, thus getting possession of the only two places 
where a landing could be effected. He likewise 
took the precaution of bringing with him the young 
king, upon whose movements he kept a close watch. 

When, therefore, the soldiers of the emperor 
were about to land at Limasol, they found the shore 
lined with troops forming an army much larger than 
their own, who forbade their approach. Their ships, 
therefore, moved on a little farther, and cast anchor 
in the vicinity of Gavata. Soon afterward, the 
Bishop of Amalfi, accompanied by two German 
knights, made their appearance in Limasol, and 
represented themselves as ambassadors from the 
emperor charged with a message to the young king. 
They were told that the king resided at Larnaka, 
and whilst they were conducted back again to their 
ship, Ibelin in great haste called together the feudal 


MARSHAL FELINGHER. 969 


court, in which naturally his own friends and par- 
tisans were in a considerable majority. 

Before this assembly, the ambassadors from the 
emperor delivered their message, which was to the 
following effect: The emperor demanded from the 
king, as his feudal vassal, that he should immedi- 
ately banish from the country Johann von ITbelin 
and his whole family, and no longer afford them 
shelter or protection, seeing that they had broken 
their allegiance. To this mandate the following 
reply was given by Wilhelm Visconta, in the name 
of the infant king: “My lords, 1 am commanded 
and commissioned by the king to say to you, that 
it appears to him very strange that the emperor 
should send such an order to me. The governor of 
Beyrut is a relative of Ibelin, and I neither can nor 
will do what the emperor requires.” 

After waiting many days, it became evident that 
it would be impossible to effect a landing, and the 
authority of the emperor Frederick over the island 
was henceforth set at defiance. 

When Ibelin had marched within four leagues of 
Akkon, he learned that the Patriarch of Antioch 
was sent as Pope’s legate to that city, and had de- 
manded his immediate presence. 

Notwithstanding the suspicions Ibelin entertained, 
that the legate was about to denounce him as a rebel, 
he felt bound, as a good servant of the Church, to 
obey the summons. He therefore caused lis troops 


270 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


to encamp near Casal Imbert, and placed his trust- 
worthy follower, Anselm von Brie, in command, 
while he proceeded to Akkon, and endeavored by . 
every means in his power to undermine his enemies 
and strengthen his own cause. 

Meanwhile Marshal Felingher decided on mak- 
ing one decisive blow for his master’s interests. To- 
ward dusk on the evening of May 2d, he left Tyre 
with his best troops, and marched toward the coast, 
where he was followed by twenty-two ships, bearing 
the rest of his army. Toward morning they ap- 
proached the unfortunate camp, and before the 
shghtest alarm could be raised, had fallen upon it 
and butchered the soldiers whilst still asleep. Here 
and there a slight attempt was made at resistance, 
and Ibelin’s three sons made a gallant but desperate 
effort to drive off the enemy. The attack, however, 
had been too sudden to allow the soldiers to re- 
cover from the shock, and all such as did not perish 
found safety in precipitate flight. The king nar. 
rowly escaped with his life, he having been hurried 
out of the camp at the first alarm of danger. 

The imperial victory was complete, Ibelin’s troops 
were entirely scattered or destroyed, and all the 
valuables of the camp were taken possession of by 
the enemy. As soon as it was known that Marshal 
Felingher had left Tyre, [belin and his knights at 
once mounted their horses and rode as rapidly as 
possible toward the camp, but before they arrived, 


MARSHAL FELINGHER. 271 


friends and enemies had alike quitted the ground, 
and nothing remained except a handful of men who 
had taken refuge in a small and neighboring tower. 

Had Felingher at once fallen upon Akkon, he 
would probably have obtained possession of the 
city; but he was well aware that his troops were 
safer in Cyprus thau on the opposite continent, and 
therefore immediately despatched them to that 
island. Famagusta, Nikosia, and Keryneia were 
seized, and all Ibelin’s troops dispersed in a series 
of victorious onslaughts. The young queen, Alice, 
occupied Nikosia, whilst her two sisters-in-law took 
refuge in the convent of St. Hilarion. Frau von 
Ibelin escaped to Buffavento in the disguise of a 
‘monk, and by her courage and energy roused the 
drooping spirit of the old commandant of the fort- 
ress, who was preparing to surrender to the emperor 
‘at discretion. } 

The followers of Ibelin were now in the depths 
of distress and anxiety, their troops were annihi- 
lated, their money gone, and worst of all, many 
noble knights belonging to the conquered party be- 
gan to lay all the blame of their unfortunate posi- 
tion upon their leader’s head. Some endeavored 
to persuade the king, who was nearly of age, that 
he might be the means of restoring peace and order, 
while others endeavored to commence an alliance 
with Marshal Felingher. 

At this crisis, John Ibelin showed all the resources 


272 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


of which he was capable. He tried to sting the 
Syrian knights by hinting, that if Cyprus were al- 
lowed to remain under imperial rule, they would be 
neither more nor Jess than slaves to Germany, and 
endeavored by bribes and every form of persuasion 
to induce adherents to flock to his standard. Ibelin’s 
sons and relations sold all their possessions in order 
to obtain horses and arms, and many devices were 
resorted to as a means of obtaining money. 

Small scraps of parchment were issued, bearing 
the king’s seal, and setting forth that the sum 
named thereon must be paid to whoever presented 
it, and promising that the giver should be refunded as 
soon as the prince was firmly established in his rights. 

The most important step by far taken by the as- 
tute knight, at this crisis, was that of persuading the 
Genoese in the island to rise en masse and join his 
cause, under the solemn promise of the king that 
they and their sons should enjoy extraordinary 
social immunities and privileges. Having fully 
achieved this plan, Ibelin at once made ready to 
sail for Cyprus at the shortest notice, backed by a 
numerous and well-manned fleet. No sooner did 
the Marshal hear of the unexpected rising of the 
Genoese, than he at once returned to the island 
with a powerful army, and was soon again master 
of the whole country, with the exception of the 
fortresses of St. Hilarion and Buffavento. A por- 
tion of the imperial fleet was anchored in the har- 
bor outside the ancient city of Paphos. 


MARSHAL FELINGHER. 273 


On Whitsunday, May the 30th, Ibelin set sail 
with his forces from Akkon, accompanied by the 
Genoese consul, with whom the approaching strug- 
gle now had the aspect of a political victory. Peda- 
lion Acra, a promontory between Larnaka and Fama- 
gusta, had been pointed out as the most suitable 
spot for landing the soldiers, and thither all the 
troop-ships went. No sooner had the fleet reached 
the spot indicated, than intelligence was received 
that the Marshal had made Famacusta his head- 
quarters. ‘The ships at once preceeded in the direc. 
_ tion of that fortress, where, owing to the knowl. 
edge of the shore displayed by their commanders, 
they were enabled, after a slight skirmish with the 
imperial troops, to take possession of a small island 
in close vicinity to the town. Felingher was pre- 
pared to make a brave and powerful defense, but 
unluckily for him his soldiers had treated the sur- 
rounding inhabitants with so much roughness and 
cruelty, that treachery was rife in all quarters. In 
the stillness of the night a few boats left the fleet, 
and landed their men close to the fortress; these at 
once rushed upon the town with such noise and 
force that the defenders were struck with sudden 
panic. The Marshal, believing that the whole force 
of the enemy was on the spot, and that the citizens 
were in revolt, at once set fire to his ships, and 
withdrew with all his men to Nikosia. 

12* 


274 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


Ibelin remained a week in Famagusta; this time 
he spent in fortifying the citadel more securely, and 
in drawing up the deed of privileges to the Ge- 
noese, the promise of which had procured him so 
great an accession of friends. 

The Marshal now retired to the mountains be- 
hind Nikosia, and Queen Alice and her ladies 
sought refuge in Keryneia, the imperial troops be- 
ing so stationed as to command that fortress. 

Felingher now rapidly pressed on the siege of 
St. Hilarion, and was in daily hopes that hunger 
must compel her defenders to surrender; all corn- 
fields, mills, and every available means of sustenance 
having been destroyed throughout the surrounding 
plains by the Marshal’s orders. 

Ibelin’s army, which was now slowly marching 
onward toward Nikosia, received fresh reinforce- 
‘ments at every stage, not only from the outraged 
Cypriotes, who were anxious to avenge their wrongs, 
but from large numbers of the higher classes, who 
had taken refuge in the huts. Nearly all these 
soldiers were on foot, whilst the imperial army, we 
are told, had fully two thousand horse. On his 
arrival near Nikosia, Ibelin at once encamped about 
half a league from the city, and early next morning, 
June 15th, 1232, advanced rapidly with all his 
troops to encounter the imperial forces, some of 
which were gathered around the fortress they were 
investing, whilst some were stationed upon the 


MARSHAL FELINGHER. 275 


high and almost inaccessible rocks that commanded 
the road to Keryneia, 

The Marshal, who appears to have been paralyzed 
by the rapid movements of the enemy, at once sent 
a party of cavalry to meet the men he saw were 
preparing to mount the rocky steps that led to the 
fortress. 

Count Walter von Manebel charged down upon 
the enemy, but with such fury and indiscretion that 
the ascending soldiers, being on foot, readily eluded 
the pursuit of their mounted adversaries, who had 
no alternative but to seek refuge in the plains be- 
low, and there await further orders. Meanwhile 
Ibelin’s troops continued to mount, and a severe 
struggle ensued, in which the Marshal’s troops be- 
came perfectly unmanageable, and had to be with- 
drawn to Keryneia. Numbers sought safety in 
flight, or refuge in the neighboring churches and 
monasteries. Keryneia now alone remained in the 
hands of the imperial troops, and the Marshal at 
once proceeded to strengthen it at all points, stored 
up ample provisions in case of siege, and having 
given the command of such troops as could not be 
accommodated in the fortress to Walter von Aqua- 
viva, he himself retired to Cilicia with a large body 
of men. | 

Ibelin no sooner heard that the Marshal. had 
withdrawn the greater part of his army from Kery- 
neia, than he proceeded to invest that fortress. A 


276 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


long and bloody battle at once ensued outside its 
walls, and every means were tried, but in vain, to 
storm the citadel. At this crisis a short truce was 
concluded, in consequence of the death of the young 
Queen Alice. Her corpse was decked in royal 
robes, and a messenger was despatched to her con- 
sort requesting that she might be interred as be- 
came her rank. This truce was strictly kept on 
both sides, until the royal coffin had been conveyed 
to Nikosia, where it was placed in the cathedral 
with much pomp and reverence. 

Marshal Felingher had meanwhile been well re- 
ceived in Cilicia, and at once proceeded to make 
preparations for a fresh campaign. Great sickness, 
however, now appeared in his army, and numbers 
died from various causes, or were so invalided as to 
be unfit for further service. Felingher at once 
ordered his army to Tyre, whilst he himself went 
to Italy to have an interview with the emperor. 
This latter was now inclined to try what could be 
done by persuasion, instead of again having recourse 
to arms. Marshal Felingher, who had made himself 
much disliked, was superseded, and the Bishop of 
Sidon dispatched, with full powers to bring matters 
to a peaceable conclusion by well-timed arguments 
and persuasions, amongst which was the promise 
that all past outbreaks should be forgotten on the 
part of the emperor if the Cypriotes would return 
to their allegiance. The bishop had so much skill 


MARSHAL FELINGHER. | 277 


and diplomacy, that in an assembly of knights 
called by his order to assemble in the cathedral at 
Akkon, all present willingly consented to renew 
their oaths on the spot, and recognize the emperor 
as the guardian of his son Conrad. At this june- 
ture the proceedings of the assembly were inter- 
rupted by the sudden appearance of the young 
knight, John of Czsarea, nephew of Ibelin, who 
with much excitement implored the assembly to. 
consider well what they were about to do, and not 
to sacrifice their country to imperial ambition. 

A scene of great violence ensued, in the midst of 
_ which the bell from the citadel was rung, and at 
the preconcerted signal, crowds of Ibelin’s adher- 
ents in the city flocked into and around the church, 
uttering loud cries for vengeance on the heads of 
the recreant knights. The latter were now com- 
pelled to seek safety in flight, and it required all 
the eloquence and authority of young John of Cex. 
sarea to restrain the violence of the crowd, and 
allow the bishop and his party to escape with their 
lives. The emperor now appealed to Ibelin’s own 
sense of right and honor, and assured him that if 
he would obey the imperial summons and appear 
in Tyre to renew his fealty, everything should be 
arranged according to his wishes. Ibelin, however, 
distrusted the friendly overtures of the emperor, 
and not only refused to comply, but at once pro- 
ceeded to levy fresh forces, and prepare for an ob- 


278. CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


stinate resistance. This done, his first step was to 
reduce the fortress of Keryneia, which, however, he 
found so impregnable that, after some terrible fight- 
ing about its walls, he was compelled to sit down 
before it, and endeavor to reduce its garrison by 
starvation. Month after month passed, and yet the 
brave band held out; until after two years of great 
hardship and suffering, they were at last compelled 
to submit, but only on the most honorable condi- 
tions. Frederick still refused to relinquish all hope, 
and now had recourse to imploring assistance from 
the Pope, to aid in bringing his refractory vassals 
again to their allegiance. In the same year as wit- 
nessed the fall of Keryneia, a legate from the Papal 
Court arrived at Akkon, bearing a decree from both 
emperor and Pope, commanding all knights and citi- 
zens to join the imperial cause, and submit to the 
authority of Marshal Felingher. Every indulgence 
was promised to all such as should submit. - 

Ibelin was now hard pressed, but he utterly re- 
fused again to acknowledge his faults to the em- 
peror, and at once set about preparing for an attack 
on Tyre. The Pope sent Ibelin one more written 
warning, and the archbishop put Akkon under an 
interdict. Two envoys were now sent from the 
knights to Italy, in order to endeavor to make terms 
of peace. These conditions were hard upon the 
Cypriotes, and when the envoys returned to Akkon, 
and showed the parchment containing the required 


MARSHAL FELINGHER. 279 


submissions, the whole city was in an uproar. The 
ambassadors were thrown into prison, and very nar- 
rowly escaped with their lives. Almost Ibelin’s 
Jast act was to summon all to uphold the rights of 
their king; very shortly after this he fell from his 
horse, and was so seriously injured that he did not 
long survive. During these occurrences in the East, 
great changes were also taking place in the friendly 
relations between Pope and emperor, and the latter 
soon found himself overwhelmed with troubles and 
anxieties, both in Italy and Germany, which re- 
quired his immediate and entire attention. Mean- 
while Ibelin’s son and various members of his fam- 
ily had sent letters, accompanied by rich gifts, to the 
Pope and cardinals. This embassy proved entirely 
successful, and the envoy, Godfrey le Tort, returned 
triumphantly to Akkon, bearing a Papal letter com- 
manding all to unite with the Genoese in submis- 
sion to the wishes and propositions of the party led 
by the Ibelins. This direct decree from the Pope 
proved final, and Frederick was now powerless to 
send an army to assert his claims. 

Some years later, one more endeavor was made 
by Marshal Felingher, and a small party in Akkon, 
to induce the inhabitants of the island to acknowl- 
edge their allegiance to the emperor; but in vain. 
Thus ended all attempts to make Cyprus an appan- 
age of Germany, which if carried out might prob- 
ably have saved that beautiful country and her pop- 
ulation from centuries of neglect and tyranny. 


CHAPTER XXXII. 
CYPRUS AND THE EUPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY. 


Agar must Cyprus bear a prominent position in 
the eyes of the world. For many years eminent 
statesmen, soldiers, and engineers have been pro- 
claiming the advisability of making Cyprus the 
point through which that grand scheme, the Eu- 
phrates Valley Railway, soon we hope to bea reality, 
would receive its principal sources of traffic, and 
forming it into the terminal station of a line of rail- 
way and steamers destined to chain us more firmly 
to our Indian possessions, and to open again the 
long-deserted or neglected land that lies between it 
and the Persian Gulf. , 

Major-General Sir F. Goldsmid, C.B., K.C.S.L, 
who has devoted a considerable portion of his time 
to this scheme, has thrown such valuable light upon 
the subject that we should be wanting in our duty 
to our readers if we did not give some brief idea of 
the information his valuable paper affords us. 

The geographical position of Cyprus, now under 
British rule, makes the island a fitting guardian of 
Upper Syria, Coelo Syria, and almost of Palestine, 


and in the hands of Great Britain is an invaluable 
280 


CYPRUS AND THE EUPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY. 281 


acquisition, and worth any amount of land which 
might be purchased on the neighboring Asiatic 
coast. 

The distance to the several ports on the mainland 
is not great; indeed, the island is said to be visible 
on a clear day from Seleucia. <A railway terminus 
for the Persian Gulf line might be reached in a very 
few hours, and fair weather boats, calculated to carry 
over a thousand passengers, troops or civilians, 
might be used at certain times at inconsiderable cost. 

Of Larnaka, as a. port, very little information can 
be obtained; but fifteen years ago it received 324 
vessels of 54,340 tons, and sent out 321 vessels of 
58,458 tons. In 1876 there were entered 457, and 
cleared 483 vessels of 92,926 and 91,690 tons re- 
spectively. 

At Limasol, in 1863, 493 vessels were entered of 
32,980 tons. The present harbor of Famagusta has 
a superficial extent of nearly eighty acres, to which 
a depth of five and a half fathoms might be readily 
given; but there is only a space of about five acres 
which can be relied upon for the actual reception of 
ships. 

M. Collas, a French writer, experienced in Turkey 
and the Turks, thinks that with ordinary engineer- 
ing skill, a harbor might be formed here of more 
than 148 acres in extent. The opening of this har- 
bor would also give, in the opinion of M. Collas, an 
immense impetus to the export of cotton, which 


282 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


might be grown up to the amount not far short of 
30,000 tons—a high figure of productiveness. 

Having thus shown how Cyprus is capable, so far 
as harbors are concerned, of fulfilling her position 
as the terminus of the Euphrates Valley Railway, 
let us look to some of the various routes suggested 
for this line. Five different schemes were selected 
as the most important by the Committee which sat 
in 1872. 

1st. A line starting from Alexandretta or Suedia, 
near the mouth of the Orontes, passing through 
Aleppo to the Euphrates, at or near Jabah Castle, 
and thence carried down the right bank of the river 
to Kuwait, on the western side of the Persian Gulf. 

2d. A line starting from one of the same points, 
crossing the Euphrates at Belio, passing down the 
left bank of the river, or the right bank of the Ti- 
gris, to a point nearly opposite Baghdad, recrossing 
the Euphrates, and proceeding to Kuwait. 

3d. A line starting as before, crossing the Eu- 
phrates at Bir, thence going round to Orfah and 
Diarbekir, and following the right bank of the Ti 
gris as the last. 

4th. A similar line, only following the left bank 
of the Tigris. 

5th. A line starting from Tripoli, and proceeding 
across the desert by way of Damascus and Palmyra 
to the Euphrates, whence it might follow one of the 
preceding routes. 





CYPRUS AND THE EUPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY. 283 


Which of these routes will eventually be adopted 
is still the subject of much discussion. 

Mr. W. P. Andrew, F.R.G.S:, who for thirty years 
has devoted much time and attention to endeavor. 
ing to carry out this design, has furnished us with 
an admirable report on this project. We will give 
a short sketch in his own words: 

“In the proposal to restore this ancient route— 
once the highway of the world’s commerce and the 
track of the heroes of early history—by the con- 
struction of a railway to connect the Mediterranean 
and the Persian Gulf, we have at hand an invalua- 
ble and perfectly efficient means at once of thwart- 
ing the designs of Russia, if they should assume a 
hostile character, of marching hand in hand with 
her if her mission be to carry civilization to distant 
lands, and of competing with her in the peaceful 
rivalry of commerce.” 

“On every ground, therefore, the proposed Eu- 
phrates Valley Railway is an undertaking eminently 
deserving our attention, and the support and en- 
couragement of our Government.” 

“The countries which our future highway to 
India will traverge have been, from remote antiquity, 
the most interesting in the world. On the once 
fertile plains watered by the Euphrates and Tigris, 
the greatest and most glorious nations of antiquity 
arose, flourished, and were overthrown.” 

“Twice in the world’s history mankind com- 


284 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


menced the race of civilization on the Mesopotamian 
rivers, Twice the human family diverged from their 
banks to the east, the west, and the north, Arts 
and sciences made the first feeble steps of their in- 
fancy upon the shores of these rivers.” 

“Very early in history, we know that Babylon 
was a great manufacturing city, famed for the costly 
fabrics of its looms. At a more recent date, the 
Chaldean kings made it a gorgeous metropolis—the 
fairest and the richest then on earth. Alexander 
of Macedon made it the port of the Indian Ocean 
and the Persian Gulf; and he proposed to render it 
the central metropolis of his empire.” | 

“The countries through which the Euphrates 
flows were formerly the most productive in the 
world. Throughout these regions the fruits of tem- 
perate and tropical climes grew in bygone days in 
luxurious profusion; luxury and abundance were 
universally diffused. The soil everywhere teemed 
with vegetation; much of this has since passed 
away. Ages of despotism and misrule have ren- 
dered unavailing the bounty of nature; but the land 
is full of hidden riches. The natural elements of 
its ancient grandeur still exist in ‘the inexhaustible 
fertility of the country, and in the chivalrous char- 
acter and bearing of many of the tribes; and the 
day cannot be far distant when it is destined to re- 
sume its place amongst the fairest and most pros- 
perous regions of the globe.” . 


CYPRUS AND THE EUPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY. 285 


“The wondrous fertility of Mesopotamia was, in 
early times, carried to its utmost limit by means of 
irrigation pints with which the country was eve1 ¥ 
iehene datesenetid: and some of the largest of which! 
were navigable. These excited the w order and in- 
terest of Alecasde: the Great, who, after his return 
from the conquest of India, examined them person- 
ally, steering the boat with his own hand. He 
employed a great number of men to repair and 
cleanse these canals.” 

“ Herodotus, speaking of Babylonia, says: ‘Of all 
the countries I know, it is without question the best, 
and most fertile. It produces neither figs, nor vines, 
nor olives; but in recompense the earth is suitable for 
all sorts of grain, of which it yields always two 
hundred per cent., and in years of extraordinary fer- 
tility as much as three hundred per cent,’” 

“These regions need only again to be irrigated 
by the life-giving waters pouring down ever cool 
and plentiful from Ararat—that great landmark of 
primeval history, now the vast natural boundary- 
stone of the Russian, Turkish, and Persian empires 
—to yield once more in abundance almost every- 
thing that is necessary or agreeable to man. Many 
acres now wasted, save when in early spring they 
are wildernesses of flowers, may be covered with cot- 
ton, tending to the employment of the million 
spindles of our land.” 

“Tt is not too much to say that no existing or 


286 - CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


projected railroad can compare in point of interest 
and importance with that of the Euphrates Valley. 
It will bring two quarters of the globe into juxta- 
position, and three continents, Europe, Asia, and 
Australia, into closer relation. It will bind the vast 
population of Hindustan by an iron link with the 
people of Europe. It will inevitably entail the 
colonization and civilization of the great valleys of 
the Euphrates and Tigris, the resuscitation in a 
modern shape of Babylon and Nineveh, and the re- 
awakening of Ctesiphon and Bagdad of old.” 

“Where is there in the world any similar under- 
taking which can achieve results of such magnitude, 
fraught with so many interests to various nations? 
And who can foresee what ultimate effects may be 
produced by improved means of communication in 
the condition of Hindoos, Chinese, and other remote 
peoples?” 

“Although various routes have been suggested 
with a view of bringing Great Britain, by means of 
railway communication, into closer connection with 
India and her other dependencies in the East, and 
of securing at the same time the immense political 
and strategic desideratum of an alternative highway 
to our Eastern possessions, there is none which com- 
bines in itself so many advantages asthe ancient 
route of the Euphrates; the route of the emperors 
Trajan and Julian, in whose steps, in more recent 
times, the great Napoleon intended to follow, when 


CYPRUS AND THE EUPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY. 287 


the Russian campaign turned his energies in another 
direction. The special advantages which render 
this route superior to all others are briefly these :” 

“Tt is the direct route to India. It is the shortest 
and the cheapest both for constructing and work- 
ing a railway; so free from engineering difficulties, 
that it almost appears as though designed by the 
hand of nature to be the highway of nations between 
the East and the West; the most surely defensible 
by England—both of its termini being on the open 
seas; and the most likely to prove remunerative.” 

“Both in an engineering and a political point of 
view, the Euphrates route undoubtedly possesses 
great advantages over any of the others which have 
been proposed.” 

“All the routes which have been suggested from 
places on the Black Sea are open to the fatal objec- 
tion that, while they would be of the greatest ser- 
vice to Russia, they would be altogether beyond the 
control of Great Britain, while the engineering diffi- 
culties with which they are surrounded are of 
themselves sufficient to exclude them from practical 
consideration.” | 

“This has been fully establisked by the evidence 
of the witnesses examined by the Select Committee 
of the House of Commons, which lately investigated 
the merits of the various proposals for connecting 
the Mediterranean and the Black Seas with the Per- 
sian Gulf.” 


288 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


“In the course of the investigation by the Com- 
mittee, it was demonstrated that the proposed Eu- 
phrates Valley Railway is an eminently feasible 
undertaking in an engineering sense; that the route 
of the Euphrates and the Persian Gulf is decidedly 
preferable, in respect of climate, to that by Egypt and 
the Red Sea; that as regards the safety and facility 
of the navigation, the Persian Gulf also has by far 
the advantage; that the proposed undertaking 
would be of great commercial moment, and if not 
immediately profitable, at all events that it would 
be so at a date not far distant; and, finally, that it 
would be of the highest political and strategic im- 
portance to this country.” 

“A railway through Mesopotamia, as a route to 
India, would not at first be productive of much in- 
come to a company from traffic, but in a few years 
—certainly before the railway could be finished— 
the cultivation of grain would increase a hundred- 
fold, and would go on increasing a thousandfold, 
and would attain to a magnitude and extension 
quite impossible to calculate, because bad harvests 
are almost unknown in these parts, for there is al- 
ways plenty of rain and a hot sun to ripen the corn. 
Populous villages would spring up all along the 
line, as there is abundance of sweet water every- 
where. Cereals can be grown there so cheaply, that 
no country the same distance from England—say, 
for instance, Russia—could compete with it at all. 


’ THE EUPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY. 289 


And if Great Britain finds it necessary to rely more 
on the importation of foreign corn, where could a 
better field be found than the fertile plains of Me- 
sopotamia, which has all the advantages of climate, 
soil, and sun in its favor?” 

“'The establishment of steain communication by the 
Messageries Maritimes on the route of the Red Sea to 
Calcutta and other Eastern ports, shows the impor- 
tance attached by the French to the extension of their 
commercial relations with the East. A Russian line 
of steamers, also, has lately been established, to run 
between Odessa and Bombay by the Suez Canal 
route. Even those who see.no danger in the policy 
of annexation pursued by Russia, will admit that the 
Russian roads and railways now being pushed toward 
Persia and Afghanistan, if designed with pacific inten- 
tions, prove, at all events, the anxiety of the Russian 
Government to compete with us for the trade of 
Central Asia, the Punjaub, and Northern India.” 

“The substitution of Kurrachee for Bombay as 
the European port of India would, even by the Red 
Sea route, give us an advantage of some five hun- 
dred miles; but if the Euphrates route were once 
established, the adoption of Kurrachee as the Euro- 
pean port of India would necessarily follow, and 
India would thus be brought upwards of a thousand 
iniles nearer to us than at present ; while during the 
monsoon months, the gain would be still greater, as 
the route between the Persian Gulf and Kurrachee 

13 


290 - CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. © 


is not exposed to the severity of the monsoon, which, 
it is well known, renders a divergence of some five 
hundred miles necessary during a portion of the 
year on the voyage from Bombay to Aden.” 

“When the railway system of the Indus is com- 
pleted, Kurrachee will be in continuous railway 
communication with Calcutta and with the gates of 
Central Asia at the Kyber and Bolan Passes, and it 
will thus become the natural basis of operations in 
the event either of any internal commotion in India, 
or of aggression on our north-western frontier.” 

“The grand object desired is to connect England 
with the north-west frontier of India by steam tran- 
sit through the Euphrates and Indus valleys. The 
latter will render movable to either the Kyber or 
the Bolan—the two gates of India—the flower of 
the British army cantoned in the Punjaub; and the 
Euphrates and Indus lines being connected by 
means of steamers, we shall be enabled to threaten 
the flank and rear of any force advancing through 
Persia toward India. So that, by this great 
scheme, the invasion of India would be placed be- 
yond even speculation, and it is evident that the 
great army of India of three hundred thousand men 
being thus united to the army of England, the mut- 
ual support they would render each other would 
quadruple the power and ascendency of this coun- 
try, and promote powerfully the progress, the frée- 
dom, and the peace of the world.” 





- THE EUPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY. 291 


“The Euphrates and Indus lines together would, 
moreover, secure for us almost a monopoly of the 
trade with Central Asia, enabling us to meet Russia, 
our great competitor in these distant fields of com- 
mercial enterprise, on more than equal terms.” 

“ But it is not on commercial considerations that I 
would urge the claims of the Euphrates Valley 
Railway. It is on imperial grounds that the 
scheme commends itself to our support.” 

“T believe that the establishment of the Euphra- 
tes route would add incaleulably to our prestige 
throughout Europe and the East, and would do more 
to strengthen our hold on India than any other means 
that could be devised.” 

“The Euphrates Valley Railway, as proposed | 
from the Gulf of Scanderoon to the Persian Gulf, 
has been specially designed with a view to its ulti- 
mately forming a part of a through line from Con- 
stantinople to the head of the Persian Gulf; while 
it is capable also of being in due time extended 
eastward to Kurrachee, the port of India nearest to 
Europe.” 

“The line from the Mediterranean to the Persian 
Gulf has been demonstrated to be eminently practi- 
cable and easy, while the other portions of the route 
between Constantinople and India are not. While 
capable of forming part of a through line, it would 
at the same time be complete in itself, and independ- 
ent of any disturbances in Europe—the only por- 


292 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 


tion, in fact, of a through line of railway which 
would be always, and under all circumstances, at 
the absolute control of this country.” 

“Tt would always be to this country the most im- 
pottant portion of any through line; and, indeed, I 
believe a through line could not be constructed, ex- 
cept at overwhelming cost, without the assistance of 
a port in Northern Syria. It would, moreover, pro- 
vide us with a complete alternative route to India, and 
would thus at once secure to this country adyan- 
tages admitted to be of the highest national moment.” 

“Tt is for these reasons that during the long pe- 
riod in which I have devoted myself to the advo- 
cacy of the Euphrates route to India, I have thought 
it expedient to urge upon our own Government and 
that of Turkey, the special claims of that section 
only which would connect the Mediterranean with 
the Persian Gulf.” 

“The objection that, although the Euphrates Val- 
ley Railway would afford us the undoubted advan- 
tage of an alternative, a shorter, and a more rapid 
“means of communication with India, it would still 
leave a considerable portion of the journey to be 
accomplished by sea, and that consequently it would 
accelerate our communications with the East ina 
minor degree only, is sufficiently disposed of by the 
circumstance already pointed out: that a railway 
from a point on the Mediterranean, at or near Scan- 
deroon, to the head of the Persian Gulf, would 


THE EUPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY. 293 


naturally form part of a through line of railway 
from Constantinople to India, if at a future time it 
should be considered necessary or desirable to con- 
struct the remaining sections.” 


ontegr 


7 
aan A oo. 


i 





APPENDIX. 


———_—__— 


EXTENT AND BounDARIES. 


Cyprus (xvzpos), called by the Turks Kibris, is 
a large island in the Mediterranean, lying near the 
coasts of Syria and Asia Minor. It is supposed to 
have an area of about 4,500 square miles, but all 
the different measurements given vary consider- 
ably. Its length is about 145 miles, from the ex- 
treme north-east point, Cape St. Andreas, to Cape 
Arnauti, on the west coast. Its greatest breadth is 
about fifty miles from north to south; but it nar- 
rows toward the east, where in some parts it is not 
more than five miles wide, and, at the most extreme 
east point, Cape Andreas, it is only about sixty-five 
miles distant from Latakia, the nearest point of the 
Syrian coast. The nearest land on the coast of 
Karamania, or Cicilia, Cape Zephyrium, is about 
forty-two miles north by west of the point of land 
in Cyprus, which is near the ancient Carpasia. 


SURFACE. 


There are two ranges of mountains in Cyprus, 


one extending along the northern coast, and the 
. 295 ‘ 


296 APPENDIX. 


other stretching across the southern part of the 
island. The highest summit is the “Troados,” or 
“Olympus,” which Liher measured, and found to be 
6,160 feet above the sea level. . The other principal 
peaks of this range are Mount Stavrovuni, or Sante 
Croce, Mount Makkaeras, and Mount Adelphi; the 
heights of these are uncertain. Equally uncertain 
are the elevations of the peaks of the northern 
range, the chief of which is Mount Pentedaktylo, 
between Kerinia and Makaria. 

The most extensive plain is on the eastern part 
of the island, and is watered by the river Pedias. 
In 1330, this river was so swollen by heavy rain 
that it inundated Nikosia, to the great destruction 
of life and property. The other plains of any size 
are those of Lefkosia in the centre, and Kerinia, to 
the west of the island. 


Rivers. 


The Pedias, or Pedeeus, the principal river, rises 
on the range of Olympus, and waters the plains of 
Lefkosia and Messaria, and empties itself into the 
sea, on the’east coast, at the ancient port of Salamis 
Constantia. The Morpha has its source among the 
same mountains as the Pedias, waters the plain of 
Kerinia, and falls into the sea on the north-west 
coast, about the centre of the Gulf of Morpha. 
There are no other rivers of much importance; the 
principal are, the Ezusa, or ancient Borgarus, the 


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APPENDIX. 297 


Diorizos, and the Khapotini, all of which take their 
source in the neighborhood of Mount Olympus, and 
fall into the sea on the south-west coast; the Ku- 
rios, which empties itself into the Gulf of Piskopi, 
on the south coast; the Garilis, rising in the Mak- 
kaeras mountains and falling into the sea at Lima- 
sol, also on the south coast; while the Pentas- 
khino, a small stream, enters the sea near Dolas 
point, on the south-east coast. 


CaPEs. 


Cape Kormaciti, the ancient Crommyon, at the 
extreme north-west; Cape Andreas, the ancient Di- 
-naretum, at the extreme north-east point of the 
island; Cape Arnauti, or St. Epiphanio, the ancient 
Akamas, at the most western point; Cape Gatto, . 
and Cape Zevgari, the ancient Kurios, are the fur- 
thest points on the south coast ; Cape Greco, the an- 
cient Pedalion, hes at the south-eastern extremity. 
On the north coast are Cape Plakoti; on the west, - 
Capes Drepani, Kokino, Limmity, Baffo (Papho) ; 
on the east coast, Cape Elaea, and on the south, 
Capes Pyla, the ancient Throni, Bianca, and Citi. 


GuLrs AND Bays. 


Famagusta Bay, or Bay of Salamis, at the east; 
Gulf of Morpha, or Pendagia, at the north-west ; Gulf 
of Chrysochou, at the west; and at the south, the 


Gulf of Piskopi, and hays of Larnakaand Akroteri. 


298 APPENDIX. 


Harzors AND RoADSTEADS. 


Larnaka and Limasol possess good roadsteads. 
The ancient harbors are destroyed and filled with 
sand, 


Towns AND Important PLACEs. 


The following were the towns of Cyprus (a.p. 25): 
On the north coast of Cape Acamas, were Arsinoe, 
and Sali, with a harbor founded by Phalerus and 
Acamas of Athens; then east of Cape Crommyon, 
Lapethus, built by the Lacedemonians; next Agidus, 
Aphrodisium, and Carpasia; east of the last, was a 
mountain and a cape called Olympus, with a temple 
to Venus upon it, which women were forbidden to 
enter. Facing the cape are two ara islands, called 
Keides, or “the keys of Cyprus.” Turning thence 
toward the south, was Salamis, at the mouth of the 
Pedzeus, one of the principal cities of the island, said 
to have been built by Teucer, an emigrant from the 
island of Salamis. 

Proceeding south was anouiler Arsinoe, with a 
port; next came Leucolia, near Cape Pedals a 
lofty table-land, called the table of Venus; west of 
Pedalium was Citium (the ancient Chittim), with a 
harbor that could be closed. Citium was a large 
town, and the birthplace of Zeno the Stoic (301 B.c.) 
From Citium to Berytus (Bairout) in Syria, the dis. 
tance was about 130 miles. West of Citium was 
Amathus, and inland was Paleea Limisso, Sailing 


APPENDIX. 299 


round by Cape Curias to the west, was the town of 
Curium, with a port built by the Argivi. Here the 
coast turns to the north-west, looking toward 
Rhodes, and on it were the towns of Ireta, Boosura, 
and Old Paphos; then Cape Zephrium; and next to 
it another Arsinoe, with a port and temple, sacred 
grove, and New Paphos, built by Agapenor, five 
miles by land from Old Paphos. “ 

Most of the above towns, and others which Strabo 
has omitted, have long since disappeared. 

The present capital is Nikosia, the residence of 
the late Turkish governor. It lies near the centre 
of the island, close to the site of the ancient Letra, 
or Leucotra, on a plain surrounded with mountains, 
The streets are narrow and dirty, and many of the 
grand old mansions falling into decay. It is a truly 
Oriental city, and is very prettily situated; the air 
is balmy, dry, and redolent of the odor of laurel and 
myrtle. Every court-yard has its apple and pear- 
tree, and in between these masses of rosemary, peep- 
ing from beneath the flourishing fig. Its population 
does not exceed 16,000. 

Lefkosia was the residence of the kings of the Lu- 
signan dynasty, and was then much larger than it is 
at present, the Venetians having destroyed part of 
it in order to strengthen the remainder. 

The church of St. Sophia, a fine Gothic building, 
is converted into a mosque; the monuments it con- 
tains of the Lusignans are sadly mutilated. There - 


800 APPENDIX. 


is also a fine bazar, a khan, or inclosed court, sur- 
rounded by apartments for travelers, and the pal- 
ace of the governor, on the portal of which is still 
seen the Venetian lion in stone; there are also several 
other churches and mosques. The bastioned walls, 
erected by the Venetians, are still standing. 

The Greek Archbishop of Nikosia is metropolitan 
of the whole island. Cesnola informs us that, after 
sundown, no person is allowed to leave or enter the 
town without special permission from the governor- 
general, When such a case occurs, the soldiers are 
put under arms, and the drawbridge is lowered 
with as much ceremony as if we were still in me- 
dizeval times. The seraglio, where the late Turkish 
governor resided, is described by the same authority, 
as a large quadrangular building, two stories high, 
and in sad want of repair; it has a large court-yard, 
inclosed by walls twenty-five feet high. 

The principal manufactures of the town are catr- 
pets, cotton prints, and morocco leather. The work- 
men of Nikosia pretend that they have a particular 
manner of dressing the leather, which they keep a 
profound secret; anyhow, the leather is said to be 
better dressed, more brilliant in color, and more 
durable than that which is made in Turkey. There 
is also a little trade in raw cotton and wine. 

Larnaka, or Larnika, on the site of old Citium, 
near the south coast, is the most thriving, bustling 
place in the island, being the residence of the Euro- 


APPENDIX. 301 


pean consuls and factors, and the chief seat of trade. 
The port of Larnaka is at Salines, about a mile and 
ahalf distant; a Greek bishop resides there, and 
there are also some Latin churches in the town. 
The houses are chiefly built of clay, and only one 
story high, on account of the earthquakes, to which 
the island is subject. The interiors of the houses 
are comfortable; the apartments are paved with 
white marble, and almost every house has a garden, 

This is the chief sea-port in the island, and has @ 
fair anchorage for vessels in the roadstead. Near 
Larnaka is the well-known inland lake whence, in 
ancient days, the Pheenicians obtained the best salt, 
During the rainy season this is swollen with water ; 
in May and June it gradually evaporates, and under 
the fiery sun and burning heat of July and August, 
the water almost boils off, and leaves behind a thick 
cake of nearly pure salt. This once yielded a yearly 
income of three hundred thousand ducats. This 
town is connected by telegraph with Latakia, on the 
Syrian coast, the wires passing through Nikosia. 

Famagusta, on the south-east coast, a few miles 
south of old Salamis, and not far from the ancient 
Tamassus, occupies the site of Ammochostos, one of 
the ten royal cities which paid tribute to Esarhad- 
don, and possesses the only harbor between Salamis 
and Leuculla, and was probably the city called Ar- 
since under the Ptolemies. 

“The city of Famagusta,” says Cesnola, “ built by 


302 APPENDIX. 


the Christians eight hundred years ago, from the 
ruins of Salamis, and destroyed by the Turks in 
1571, after the terrible siege in which the Venetian 
soldiers so heroically defended their position, once 
counted its beautiful churches by hundreds and 
its palatial residences by thousands. Once it had 
been one. of the principal commercial cities of the 
Levant, with a harbor in which rode large fleets, 
but which now, through neglect, has become filled 
with sand, and is able only to float ships of light 
draught. It was just outside the mouth of this 
closed harbor, that the vessels containing the Ve- 
netian families and their most precious personal 
and household effects were sunk by the faithless 
Mustapha Pacha, after he had killed the Venetian 
generals.” 

“ As you approach the massive walls of the city, 
which are nearly seventeen feet thick, and of solid 
stone, all taken from the ruins of Salamis, you see 
how impossible it was to take such a city except 
by famine or treachery. The walls stand now as 
impregnable and intact as when raised by the 
Lusignans.” 

“The old bronze guns of the Republic of Venice 
are still on the bastions, in their original places, look- 
ing formidably toward the sea and the plain of 
Salamis, but spiked and out of service since 1571. 
There are a half dozen rusty iron guns of Turkish 
manufacture, pretty much in the same condition.” 











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APPENDIX. 303 


“The ruins of Famagusta are not grand and im- 
posing, yet they are most beautiful and touching. 
It is impossible to see the still existing walls of 
many of its fine medieval churches, with frescoes 
plainly visible in the interiors—here a rectory, there 
evidences of elegant homes—without a feeling of in- 
tense sadness. Only two out of the three hundred 
churches, which are said to have existed in Fama- 
gusta, were left standing. The principal one, for- 
merly the cathedral and now used as a mosque, is 
paved with mortuary marble slabs engraved with 
the names and arms of Italian noblemen, once buried 
beneath them, whose bones were exhumed and 
thrown into the sea by order of the fanatical and 
ferocious Mustapha Pacha, the day after he captured 
the city. The other church, used as a granary and 
a stable by the Turks, contains also a few tomb- 
stones, now all worn out by the horses’ hoofs. 
There I discovered an inscription recording the day 
on which, by the abdication of Katharine Cornaro, 
the Venetians became the rulers of Cyprus.” 

“ Within the city walls resides the caimakan * of 
the province of Carpass, with the Cadi of Fama- 
gusta, and the usual mejilis. There is also a mill- 
tary governor of the fortress, and a company of ar- 
tillery. This governor resides with his troops in a 
small fort overlooking the sea, and flanked by a 





* Governor, 


304 APPENDIX. 


large round tower called by the natives ‘Torre del 
Moro’ (Tower of the Moor). Tradition asserts that 
in this tower were the headquarters of the Venetian 
Lord Lieutenant of Cyprus, Cristoforo Moro, during 
the years 1506 to 1508. In the latter year, on the 22d 
of October, Cristoforo Moro was recalled from Cy- 
prus, and returned to Venice; and from documeuts 
which I have been allowed to peruse, it would ap- 
pear that this man was married four times, and that 
his private life was not very exemplary. This Cristo- 
foro Moro was the ‘ Othello’ of Shakespeare.” 

“The fortress of Famagusta contained some one 
the worst criminals of the Turkish Empire. Many 
of them are condemned for life, others are sen- 
tenced to from fifteen to twenty-five years’ im- 
prisonment, and all are heavily shackled.” 

The harbor of Famagusta would be excellent, if 
it were cleared of the filth with which it is blocked 
up; but at present it can only accommodate a few 
small vessels. 

Limasol, on the south coast, is the most European 
town in the island, and has a good harbor; but the 
old parts of the town are a heap of ruins. -It is still 
of considerable importance, and is the chief place of 
export for the wines of the country, which are much 
in demand in the Levant. The surrounding coun- 
try is rich in fruit trees, of which the carob-tree is 
the most conspicuous. 

Near the town formerly stood the Commandery 


APPENDIX. 305 


of the Knights Templars.(Commandery of Kolossi), 
extending from Mount Olympus to Baffo and Limz- 
sol, 

Baffo, or New Paphos, was under the Romans 
the principal town in the western part of the island, 
and is famous in ancient poetry as the favorite resi- 
dence of Aphrodite or Venus, and here was her 
most celebrated temple. 

During the reign of the Emperor Augustus, this 
town was destroyed by an earthquake, and was’ 
afterwards rebuilt. 

Here St. Paul converted Sergius Paulus, the 
~ Roman deputy-governor, beside many others, preach- 
ing in the Jewish synagogues, of which there were 
several. 

-Here Elymas, the sorcerer, was struck blind for 
endeavoring to frustrate St. Paul’s attempts to 
Christianize the people. 

The Church of St. Paul is the only Venetian 
building now standing. Baffo has a small but un- 
safe port, and is the See of a Greek bishop. Kert- 
nia, Cerini, or Ghirneh, on the north coast, has a 
harbor, from which a limited trade is carried on 
with the opposite coast of Karamania. Its ruins 
would seem to indicate that it was formerly a fine 
town. It is fortified, and the second stronghold of 
the island, and like Lapethus (the original capital 
of the district of Kerinia), is traced to the Dorian 
colonists, under Praxander and Cepheus. | This 


306 APPENDIX. 


formed one of the royal cities of the island. “T 
passed near the town,” says Cesnola, “ several times 
during my northern excursions, but never had the 
curiosity to enter it. The village itself, with the 
exception of the citadel, is a small dirty place, al- 
most exclusively inhabited by Mussulmans, who, 
with the garrison, enjoy a very bad reputation— 
second only to that of their co-religionists at New 
Paphos. The ancient site of Kerinia is a little to 
the west of the present town, and more inland. For 
a considerable distance along the western shore, 
there are to be seen here and there caverns exca- 
vated in the rock; some, though not all, seem to 
have been tombs. South-east of the town, about 
an hour’s ride from it, and midway up the moun- 
tains, stands an imposing medieval ruin called 
‘Lapais. It was an abbey, built by King Hugo the 
Third, and belonged to the Latin Church, but was 
destroyed by the Turks when they captured the 
fortress of Kerinia. It is a fact worth noticing, 
that all the churches belonging to the Latins were 
destroyed by the Turks when they took possession 
of the island. In this I have no doubt they were 
gladly assisted, or at least encouraged, by the Greeks, 
who detested the Franks even more than the Turks. 
This abbey occupied one of the most picturesque 
and lovely spots of the whole island; a large hall is 
still standing, one hundred feet long, thirty-two 
feet wide, and about forty feet high, which was 


APPENDIX. 307 


probably the refectory of the French abbots; be- 
neath it is another apartment of like dimensions, 
divided into two chambers, the vault of which is 
supported by massive columns.” 

“Tn the court-yard, piled the one upon the other, 
are two large marble sarcophagi of late Roman 
work, one of which has garlands of flowers, nude 
figures, and large bulls’ heads in bold relief. Both 
bear evidence of having been used for a long time 
as troughs. Upon the lintel, over the door of the 
great hall, are engraved three shields; one repre- 
sents the Jerusalem cross, another the royal arms of 
the Lusignans, and the third a lion rampant. The 
Gothic chapel of the abbey has been partly repaired 
with sun-dried bricks and plaster, and is now used 
by the Greeks, living in the neighborhood, as their 
place of worship; portions of the court-yard serve 
as their cemetery. On two high peaks in this range 
of mountains stood two feudal or royal castles, one 
ealled St. Hilarion, and the other Buffavento, which 
served as state prisons and places of refuge to 
some of the Latin kings of Cyprus. They were 
both dismantled by order of the Venetian Admiral 
Prioli.” 


CLIMATE. 


The climate is generally healthy, excepting on 
some parts of the coast, but this is entirely due to 
the neglected state of the country; if the much- 


308 APPENDIX. 


needed drainage was properly carried out, the*most 
satisfactory result would ensue. Asin most Eastern 
countries, the rain falls at stated periods, commenc- 
ing about the middle of October and continuing 
until the end of April. After June slight showers 
fall from time to time, but have little power to 
modify the heat, which is, however, tempered occa- 
sionally by a cool wind. In September the great 
heat sets in, but does not continue for any length 
of time. At Larnaka, the mean temperature in 
February is about 52 deg., and in August 81 deg. 
The winters are milder, and the summer cooler than 
on the coast of Syria opposite. , 

The average rainfall is about fourteen inches in 
the year, Of late years, droughts have been of fre- 
quent occurrence, owing, no doubt, to the destruc- 
tion of the w eal and forests. 

The south coast is liable to hot winds from the 
north-east, from the desert of Arabia in the south- 
cast, and in the south and south-west from Egypt 
and Lybia. 

Speaking of one of these winds, Dr. Clarke says, 
“We found it so scorching that the skin instantly 
peeled from our lips; a tendency to sneeze was ex- 
cited, accompanied by great pains in the eyes, and 
chapping of the hands and face. The mercury, ex- 
posed to its full current, rose 6 deg. Fahrenheit in 
two minutes—from 80 deg. to 86 deg.”. 

Dr. Unger says, that it is so hot in summer as to 


APPENDIX. 309 


make occupation irksome, and so cold in winter that 
the absence of spring and autumn makes the trans- 
ition, from one extreme to the other, very sudden. 
The climate is, of course, cooler in the more moun- 
tainous portion of the west, than in the flat eastern 
side, where the temperature in the height of summer 
amounts to 90 deg. in the shade; during the winter, 
in the lower parts of the land, it seldom falls to 
freezing point. During October, November, and 
December the rain falls, and entirely ceases during 
the summer, when there is generally a blue sky over 
the island. The drier the summer, the damper the 
winter; and sometimes it ther rains for forty days 
together. At such periods the thirsty land recovers 
itself. On the other hand, there are winters when 
no rain falls, and drought is severely felt during 
thesummer. In the time of Constantine, we are told 
that no rain fell on the island for thirty-six years. 

By the middle of May the harvest is over, and 
wherever the eye rests the grass is withered and 
parched. The temperature has now reached 80 deg. 
in the shade, and sometimes in the middle of the 
day is even higher; the atmosphere grows thick, and 
a veil seems to fall over all surrounding objects; all 
rivers are dry; the dew ceases in June or July, and 
the hot winds make the air more oppressive ; finally 
come hosts of annoying insects, from which one may 
seek in vain to escape. At this season, all work 
is done in the evening and at night. 


310 APPENDIX. 


PoPpuULATION. 


The number of inhabitants is very uncertain. It 
is variously estimated between 100,000 and 250,000 
souls, of whom 40,000 to 60,000 are Mohamme- 
dans, including the Linopambagi, or “men of linen 
and cotton,” as they are called in derision, who 
outwardly conforming to the tenets of Moham- 
med, are in reality Christians, The majority of the 
people belong to the Greek Church, and the re- 
mainder are either Armenians or Maronites, whose 
peculiar religion we will endeavor to describe. 
These number about 2,800. 

The Maronites are a tribe of people inhabiting 
the western declivity of Mount Lebanon, and figure 
in history as a sect of Christians. By adopting the 
Monothelitic doctrine soon after it had been con- 
demned, in a. p. 680, by the Council of Constanti- 
nople, they came to be distinguished as a distinct 
religious party, and having as their first bishop a 
certain monk, John Maro, they were called Maro- 
nites. Maro assumed the title of “Patriarch of 
Antioch,” and asserted the ecclesiastical independ- 
ence of the tribe. 

This sect defended their freedom first against the 
Greeks, and afterwards against the Saracens. At 
length, in 1182, they renounced the opinions of the 
Monothelites, and were re-admitted within the pale 
of the Romish Church; the terms of reconciliation 


APPENDIX. 311 


being that the religious tenets, moral precepts, and 
ancient rites of the country should remain unaltered. 
The Maronites adopted no Popish opinion, except 
the supremacy of the Roman Pontiff. By this 
slight tie they still continue united to the Church 
of Rome. In return for their imperfect allegiance, 
the Pope is obliged to defray the expenses of their 
public worship, and to maintain a college at Rome 
for the education of their priests. Ie has the power 
of sanctioning the appointment of their patriarch, 
after he has been selected by their bishops. This 
-dignitary has his headquarters in the monastery of 
- Lebanon, and holds the title of Patriarch of An- 
tioch, and by adopting the name of Peter, claims to 
be the successor of that apostle. Like the bishops 
who compose his synod, he is bound to remain in 
perpetual celibacy, a law, however, which the rest 
of the clergy do not observe. The Maronite monks 
are of the order of St. Anthony, and live in monas- 
teries scattered among the mountain solitudes. 

Slavery exists, but owing to the increasing poy- 
erty of the Turks, the number of slaves is very 
much diminished. 


CHARACTER OF THE INTTABITANTS. 


Herr yon Liher describes the bulk of the popu- 
lation as devoid of all energy, of sluggish tempera- 
ment, and obstinately addicted to ancient customs. 


312 APPENDIX. 


They are powerful, hospitable, and - exceedingly 
amiable in their domestic relations. The women 
are very good housewives and very active. The 
girls are full of life, especially on festive occasions, 
are fond of gaudy colors, and dress very fantasti- 
eally. 

Elementary schoois are established in all the 
larger villages, and others of superior class in the 
three principal towns of the island. The Greek 
bishops and many of the popes have been educated 
in these latter, or at Athens, and are generally men 
of culture; but most of the village priests and, 
monks are as ignorant as the peasants amongst 
whom their lives are passed. 

Greek is the language used throughout Cyprus, 
and has even found its way into many of the Turk- 
ish houses, 


AGRICULTURE. 


The cultivation of the country appears to be in 
a very primitive condition, and owing to the light- 
ness and fertility of the soil but slight labor is re- 
quired in producing the necessary crops. The culti- 
vable surface of the island is estimated at 2,500,000 
acres, of which not more than 13,000 acres are 
under tillage. The annual average yield of corn is 
eaid not to exceed 120,000 quarters, and we are told 
that the disposal of the whole has been a monopoly 
between the Turkish mulasallin and the Greek arch- 


APPENDIX. 313 


bishop, who either export or retail it at an arbitrary 
price. The vegetation resembles that of the other 
islands of the Mediterranean. There is no meadow 
land, but a great deal of waste, which is either quite 
bare, or only covered with heather and aromatic 
plants. 


Naturat Propuctions. 


The principal productions are cotton, hemp, silk, 
corn, opium, tobacco, turpentine, liquorice, madder, 
several dye-woods, gum tragacanth, and colocynth, 
fruits of all kinds, in particular grapes, oranges, lem- 
ons, pomegranates, olives, walnuts, figs, mulberries, 
apricots, etc.; the carob-tree (Ceratonia siliqua) 
abounds in some districts. There were once exten- 
sive plantations of sugar-cane. Large quantities of 
fine vegetables are grown. Cyprus was celebrated 
for roses; hyacinths, anemones, ranunculuses, natr- 
cissus, poppies, ete., grow wild. Trees and shrubs 
of all kinds grow Juxuriantly, including pines, firs, 
cypresses, ashes, oaks, beeches, elms, myrtles, ever- 
greens, oleanders, ete. : 

One of the most important plants of the island is 
the Ferula Grea, of the stalks of which the Cyp- 
riotes form a great part of their household furni- 
ture, and the pith is used instead of tinder for con- 
veying fire from one place to another. 

14 


314 APPENDIX. 


MANUFACTURES. 


Wines of three kinds are made, namely, Comman- 
deria, Muscadine, and Mavro. Cotton, silk, and 
woolen goods of various qualities are manufactured 
on a small scale. Olive oil, pitch, resin, cheese, 
raisins, and pottery (for home consumption) are 
also made. Nikosia is noted for its morocco leather. 
The peasantry distill rose, orange, and lavender wa- 
ters, myrtle and ladanum oil. 


Mrinerats AND Precious STONEs. 


Cyprus is rich in metals and minerals, including 
copper, silver, malachite, lead, and quicksilver. 
There are also quarries of asbestos, tale, sulphur, 
red jasper, agate, rock crystal, and marble. Soda 
is also found. The salt works, near Larnaka, pro- 
duce a revenue of 20,0002 per annum. Gold is 
occasionally met with in the streams. Diamonds, 
emeralds, opals, amethysts, and other precious stones 
are sometimes found. 


Naturat History, 


The principal animals in the island are oxen, sheep, 
and goats, which thrive well and are abundant. The 
most common of the wild animals are the fox, hare, 
and wild-cat. The hare feeds on fragrant herbs, 
which impart a most agreeable flavor to its flesh. 
All the birds that winter in Africa are to be found 


APPENDIX. 315 
in Cyprus. Beccaficos and ortolans are very com- 
mon and remarkably plump. Water-fowl are very 
numerous; game, such as partridges, quails, wood- 
cock, and snipe, very plentiful. 

Serpents of various species are commonly met 
with; these are stated to be, we believe erroneously, 
poisonous, 

Dr. Clarke states that tarantulas, having black 
bodies covered with hair, and bright yellow eyes, are 
not uncommon. A large venomous spider is some- 
times seen, called by Sonnini, the Galeode of the 
Levant; its body, which is about an inch. long, is a 
bright yellow, and covered with long hairs; this 
creature runs with extraordinary swiftness; its bite 
rarely produces death, but causes acute pain. The 
extent to which Cyprus was formerly devastated by 
locusts has been spoken of in another chapter. Bees 
are kept in great numbers in many parts of the 
island. Of these Dr. Clarke gives the following in- 
teresting account: 

Speaking of the village of Attién, he says: “In 
these little cottages we found very large establish- 
ments for bees, but all the honey thus made is de- 
manded by the governor; so that an apiary is only 
considered as the cause of an additional tax. The 
manner, however, in which the honey is collected is 
curious, and worthy of imitation, and it merits a 
particular description: the contrivance is simple, and 
was doubtless suggested by the more ancient cus- 


316 APPENDIX. 


tom still existing in the Crimea, of harboring bees 
in cylindrical hives made from the bark of trees, 
They build up a wall formed entirely of earthen 
- cylinders, each about three feet in length, placed 
one above the other horizontally, and closed at their 
extremities with mortar. This wall is then covered 
with a shed, and upwards of one hundred hives may 
thus be maintained within a very small compass.” 


REVENUE. 


Herr Loher found it difficult to obtain trust- 
worthy information respecting the revenue of the — 
island.. The best estimate obtainable calculated it 
at about sixteen and a half millions of piastres. 
Half a million of this, being derived from a con- 
sideration paid by Christians for exemption from 
military service, would have to be immediately sur- 
rendered by a Christian Government. ‘Three, at 
least, of the remaining imposts, yielding an esti- 
mated return of two millions of piastres, are so 
execrable in principle that they ought to be aban- 
doned with the least possible delay. These are the 
capitation tax on sheep, and the export duties on 
wine and silk. It is satisfactory to learn, on the 
other hand, that the annual cost of administration is 
not supposed to exceed at present from two to three 
millions of piastres, the balance of the revenue be- 
ing confiscated by certain high functionaries now 


APPENDIX. 317 


discharged ; and that the apparent receipts do not 
represent the amount actually collected from the 
population, seeing that they have to pay half as 
much againin bribes. These abuses will henceforth 
cease; the customs revenue will be largely aug: 
mented by importations on account of the occupy- 
ing force, and from the stimulus given to commerce 
in general; and it may even be possible, by prudent 
diplomacy, to make the vacouf, or Mohammedan 
ecclesiastical property, contribute its fair share 
toward the expenses of the State. 


Skrercu oF GENERAL History. 


According to Josephus, Cyprus was first colon- 
ized by Cittim, a grandson of Japhet, who settled 
in the island, and founded Chittim, in emulation of 
his brother Tarshish, who had built the town of 
Tarsus, on the opposite coast of Cilicia. The Phe- 
nicians, it is supposed, invaded Cyprus at a very 
early date, and retained possession of the whole, or 
a portion of the island, until the reign of Solomon. 
Greek colonists also settled on the coast. [erodo- 
tus states that Amasis, King of Egypt, invaded Cy- 
prus, and took Citium (Herod., ii, 162). The 
island then submitted to the Persians, and after- 
ward surrendered to Alexander the Great, on 
whose death it fell, with Egypt, to the share of 
Ptolemy Soter, “the son of Lagus.” Having over- 


318 APPENDIX. 


come Cyrene, which had revolted, Ptolemy (x.c, 
313) crossed over to Cyprus to punish the kings of 
the various little states upon that island for having 
joined Antigonus, one of Alexander’s generals. 
Demetrius, son of Antigonus, conquered the fleet of 
Ptolemy near the island of Cyprus, took 1,600 men 
prisoners, and sunk 200 ships. 

Now that the fate of empires was to be settled 
by naval battles, the friendship of Cyprus became 
very important to the neighboring states. The 
large and safe harbors gave to this island a great 
value in the naval warfare between Phcenicia and 
Asia Minor. Alexander had given it as his opinion 
that the command of the Mediterranean went with 
the island of Cyprus, and called it the key to Egypt. 
Under the Ptolemies, Cyprus continued sometimes 
united to Egypt, and sometimes governed by a sepa- — 
rate prince of that dynasty. The last of these 
princes, brother to Ptolemy.Auletes, King of Egypt, 
incurred the enmity of P. Clodius Pulcher, a Roman 
of illustrious family, who being taken prisoner by 
Cilician pirates, sent to the King of Cyprus for 
money to pay his ransom; the king sent an insuffi-_ 
cient sum, and Clodius having recovered his liberty 
obtained a decree, as soon as he became tribune, 
for making Cyprus a Roman province. Marcus 
Cato, against whom he had a bitter enmity, was 
sent to take possession of the new territory, and 
achieved this difficult undertaking with anexpected 


APPENDIX. 319 


success. The king, in despair at the attempt upon 
his kingdom, committed suicide. Cato at once 
seized upon the treasury, and sent a large booty 
home. Cyprus thus became a Roman province, 
and on the division of that empire was allotted to 
the Byzantines, and long formed one of the bright- 
est jewels of the imperial crown. At length, after 


many successive changes, it again became a separate 


principality, under a branch of the house of Com. 
nena, from which it was finally wrested by the ad- 
venturous hand of Richard Cceur de Lion, who 
sold it to the Knights Templars. The new govern- 
ment proved so oppressive that the people were 
driven to open revolt, and Richard, having resumed 
the sovereignty, placed the crown, in 1192, upon 
the head of Guy de Lusignan, ex-king of Jerusa- 
lem. 

~ John the Third, of Lusignan, died in 1458, leav- 
ing the kingdom to Charlotte, his only legitimate 
child, whe married her cousin Louis, Count of Ge- 
neva, second son of the Duke of Savoy and of Anna 
of Cyprus. She was solemnly crowned at Nikosia 
in 1460, but was soon afterward expelled by her 
natural brother James, assisted by the Mamelukes 
of Egypt. James married Katharine Carnaro, the 
daughter of a Venetian merchant, who brought him 
a dowry of 100,000 golden ducats. On this occa- 
sion the Venetian Senate adopted Katharine Car- 
naro as daughter of St. Mark, and the marriage was 


320 APPENDIX. 


celebrated in 1471. In 1473 James died, and his 
wife, soon after, was delivered of a son, of whom 
the Republic of Venice assumed the guardianship, 
and the Venetian troops were sent to garrison the 
towns of the island. The child dying whilst an in- 
fant, the Senate persuaded Katharine, in 1489, to 
abdicate the sovereignty in favor of the Republic, 
and to retire to Asolo, near Treviso, where she 
passed the rest of her days in a princely style on a 
liberal pension. Meantime, Charlotte Lusignan had 
retired to Rome, where she died in 1486, bequeath- 
ing her claims to Charles, Duke of Savoy, in conse- 
quence of which the sovereigns of that dynasty as- 
sume to He day the title of “ Kings of Jerusalem 
and Cyprus.” 

The Venetians kept possession of Cyprus till 





1470, when Selim the Second sent_a powerful foree 





to invade the island. The Turks took Nikosia by 








“storm, and massacred about 20 000 people. From 
“that time until now the Turks have rem remained in_ 














possession of Cyprus. . 





INDEX. 


Apttum, 185. 

Adonis, 222. 

Akazi, 83. 

Alexander the Great, 106. 

Amalrick, 37. 

Amathus, 101, 104, 200, 217. 

Amber, 200. 

Andrew, Mr. W. P., 288. 

Antiquities, 4, 24, 32, 108, 150, 175, 
181, 213, 221. 

Aphrodite, 103, 153. 

Aphroditissa, 108. 

Apollo Hylades, 188. 

Apostles, 30. 

Arabs, 16, 112. 

Armenians, 13. 

Arsinoe, 181. 

Asbestos, 200. 

Astarte, 101. 

Athienu, 9. 


Baffo, 72, 173. 
Baths, ancient, 177, 179. 
Beef, 

Bees, 56. 

Bellapais, 58. 
Berenice, 181. 
Bragadino, 11. 
Bribery, 217. - 
Buffavento, 49, 56. 
Byblos, 223. 
Byzantines, 15, 109. 


Caaba, 153. 

Calico, 19. 

Caloyers, 226. 

Camels, 10. : 
Capo delle Gatte, 226. 
Carob-tree, 201, 205. 





Carvings, 2, 137. 

Cathedra! of St. Sophia, 27. 

Cats, 226. 

Character of people, 161. 

Charlotte Lusignan, 40. 

Chrysorogiatissa, 121, 135. 

peo epee 5, 27, 84, 119, 142, 183, 
2, 219, 239. 

(iiyeion! 104. 

Clarke, Dr., 234. 

Clemacides, 164. 

Clergy, 28, 92, 145, 180, 231, 238. 

Coal, 200. 

Cold, 167, 

Commerce, 27, 228, 281. 

Consulates, 2, 74, 212, 214. 

Copper mines, 200 

Costumes, 24. 

Cotton, 201, 205. 

Cultivation, 17, 58, 113, 201. 

Curias, 226. 

Customs, 26, 82, 92. 

Cyrus, 104. 


Dali, 13, 157, 
Dancing girls, 235. 
Diorizos River, 135. 
Donkeys, 155. 
Doves, 154. 


Egyptians, 104, 107. 
Embroidery, 206. 
Enagoras, 105. 
Episcopi, 136, 186, 219. 
Eucalyptus, 131. 
Evrychu, 86. 
Excavations, 176. 
Exports, 17. 

321 


822 


Famagusta, 11, 33, 38, 75, 219, 271. 

Farmhouse, 236. 

Felingher, Marshal, 250, 267. 

Fevers, 168. 

Fini, 118. 

Fish, 216. 

Flatterers, 164. 

Flowers, 159, 187, 203. 

Forests, 16, 126. 

Fortresses, 11, 58, 192, 220, 256. 

Frederick the Second, Emperor of 
Germany, 245, 253. 


Game, 9, 82, 206, 2338. 

Gardens, 16, 22, 177. 

Germans, 113, 218, 215, 244, 250. 

Giergil Oghlu, 75. 

Goats, 210. 

Gold, 200. 

Goldsmid, Sir F., 280. 

Governors, 20, 31, 65, 69, 72, 180, 
133, 267. 

Grecian settlers, 3. 

Greek Church, 237. 

Greeks, 103, 225. 


Hafiz Mahommed Effendi, 69. 

Halil Aga, 71. 

Harbors, 178, 227. 

Heat, 85, 123, 186, 167, 218. 

Henry Sixth, Emperor of Germany, 
37. 

Hildesheim, Bishop, 28. 

Horticulture, 16, 22. 

Hunting, 32. 


Tbelin, 248, 256, 271. 
Ibrahim Bey, 71. 
Idalion, 13, 101, 109. 
Imbat, 172. 
Insurrections, 68, 70. 
Inundations, 199. 
Izil Osman Aga, 65. 


James the Second, 39. 
Jews, 109. 

John of Ceesarea, 277. 
John de Ibelin, 47. 
Justinian, Emperor, 15. 


Kantara, 55. 
Karubieh, 228. 





INDEX. 


Katharine Cornaro, 39. 

Kattirdje Janni, 140. 

Kerynia, 55, 70, 104, 258. 

Kikku, 136. 

Kimon, 105. 

King of Cyprus and Jerusalem, 40, 

Kior, Mahommed Pacha, 75. 

Kiti, 3, 101, 104, 219. 

Knights Templars, 17, 36, 126, 194, 
250, 254, 259. 

Kolossin, 191. 

Konou, 182. 

Kotschy, Dr., 55. 

Ktima, 148, 178. 

Kuklia, 135, 148, 178, 188. 

Kurion, 104, 189. 


Laborers, 231. 
Lagathos, 212. 
Language, 8, 26. 
Lapithos, 104. 
Larks, 9. 
Larnaka, 1, 9, 219. 
Lebanon, 97. 
Lepers, 20, 54. 
Levkosia, 22. 
Limasol, 37, 209, 214, 219, 224. 
L’Imbat, 172. 
Lion Mount, 49. 
Literature, 16. 
Locusts, 182, 134. 
Lycopotamos, 135. 
Lycos, 189. 


Manufactures, 107, 162. 
Manure, 204. 


_| Maria of Molino, 53. 


Marshes, 8, 58, 211. 

Matazos, 228. 

Mattei, M., 134. 

Mehemet Ali, 127. 

Meleky Bey, 77. 

Messaria, 10, 58. 

Meteoric stones, 154. 

Middle Ages, 35. 

Mineral wealth, 101, 104, 198, 200. 

Monasteries, 58, 81, 116, 121, 210. 

Monks, 2, 15, 52, 119, 136, 141. 

Morfu, 13, 219. 

Mosaics, 147. rn 

Mountains, 10, 49, 61, 86, 93, 122, 
135, 198, 232. 


INDEX. 323 





Mules, 155. Sacred road, 182. 
Mustapha, Seraskier, 17. Sacred stones, 109, 149, 158, 185. 
Saints, 109. 
Natural products, 104, 201. St. Andronika, 62. 
New Paphos, 104, 143. St. George, 236. 
Nikosia, 23, 30, 42, 65, 80, 271. St. Helena, 232. 
Nobility, 32, 214. | St. Hilarion, 55. 
St. Katharine, 29. 
Oils (distilled), 205, 206. St. Lazarus, 6. 
Old Paphos, 143. St. Nicholas, 27. 
Olive trees, 202, 205. St. Paul, 176. 
Olympus, Mount, 10, 60, 80, 86, 93. | St. Sophia, 27. 
Oracles, 147. Salamis, 104. 
Salt lake, 7. 
Panagia (village), 136. Salt, 200, 216. 
Paphos, 101, 107. San Chrisostomo, 49. 
Paphos (son of Pygmalion), 223. Sarcophagi, 3. 
Paradise, 56. Satrachos River, 13. 
Partridge, 9. Schools, 5, 214. 
Pedias, 18, 50. : Shepherds, 124, 142. 
People, 62, 84, 87, 119, 151, 157, 161, , Shipbuilding, 101, 104, 106, 126, 201. 
183, 238. Silk, 15, 18, 200, 206, 216. ; 
Perforated stones, 147. Silver, 200. 
Persians, 105. Simony, 164. 
Phanoromene Panagia, 7. Snakes, 187, 207. 
Philip of Macedon, 105. Snow, 96. 
Pheenicians, 3, 7, 78, 223. Soil, 198, 224. 
Pictures, 120, 136. Soli, 104, 200. 
Pirates, 109, 152, 189. Soliman Effendi, 72. 
Plains of Cyprus, 80. Statutes, 44. 
Plants, 122. Sugar, 18, 208. 
Population, 215. . Sultan, 112. 
Precious stones, 200. Summer residence, 158. 
Prisons, 31, 1388. Superstitions, 7, 117, 119. 
Ptolemies, 106, 181, 224. Syrians, 3, 15, 18, 101, 103. 
Pygmalion, 223. 
Table rocks, 14. 
Queen Alice, 247, 271, 276. Tamassus, 200. 
Queen’s Castle, 56. Taxes, 44, 68, 78, 87, 109, 216, 
Queen’s Cave, 150. Temperature, 167. 
Temple of Venus, 13, 151. 
Rain, 158, 170, 209. Temples, 16, 151, 188. 
Regents, 255, 263. Timber, 16, 91, 105, 122, 127, 177, 
Resin, 128. | 204, 


Revenue, 202, 216, 24%, 254,272. | Tombs, 3, 6, 151, 174, 181. 
Richard Cceur de Lion, 36, 118, 225, Tribute, 203. 


237. | Troaditissa, 95, 116. 
Rivers, 13, 50, 135. Trojan War, 102. 
Robbers, 138. : Turks, 8, 40, 100. 
Robes of priests, 200. Tyre, 106. _ 

Rogio, 137. 


Romans, 107. sf ' Unger, De, 55, 98. 


324 


Vandalism, 221. 

Vases, 221, 225. 

Vassalage, 44. 

Vegetables, 207. 

Velvet, 18. 

Venetians, 31, 39, 41, 114, 202. 

Venus, 13, 109, 148, 144, 154, 164, 
181, 222. 

Vespasian, 148, 


Wanton mischief, 129. 





INDEX. 


Watch towers, 152, 189, 191. 

Wealth, 38. 

Weaving, 18. 

Wind, 172, 206. 

Wine, 18, 48, 119, 196, 201, 233. 

Women, 25, 50, 142, 152, 161, 185, 
190, 211, 214, 241. 

Woods, 172, 206. 


Zaptichs, 88, 118, 188, 222. 


THE END. 




















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